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A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology
has found that middle-aged women are much more likely to remain
lean if they sleep well over a prolonged period. Those only
catching a few hours sleep per night, by contrast, have an
increased risk of putting on unwanted weight.
Researchers followed the progress of 68,000 women over a
period of 16 years and the results add substance to previous
conjecture that weight gain is linked to sleeping patterns.
Women averaging just five hours sleep per night were found
to be 32 per cent more likely to have a 15 kilogram weight
gain over the period than those sleeping for seven hours.
Even an extra hour appears to play a part, with those sleeping
for six hours 12 per cent more likely to put on this weight.
Similarly, the risk of developing obesity was increased by
15 per cent among those sleeping for five hours or less per
night and by six per cent in those sleeping for six hours.
Significantly, sleeping for more than seven hours per night
was not linked to an increased risk of developing obesity
over this 16-year period.
The reasons for these results remain unclear, but experts
have suggested that sleep deprivation may have the capacity
to alter hormones that affect appetite and metabolism. There
is also a chance that those sleeping badly eat more and enjoy
less exercise as a result of their fatigue.
"Overall, our findings suggest that short-sleep duration
is associated with a modest increase in future weight gain
and incident obesity. These findings have the important implication
that increasing sleep time among those sleeping less than
seven hours per night may represent a novel approach to obesity
prevention," the researchers said.
Source:http://www.keepthedoctoraway.co.uk/
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