In a recent study of 1,600 Grade 9 students, average age 14 and 15, Brian McCrindle, pediatric cardiologist for the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, found that one in five teenagers reports having poor sleep and regularly takes sleep medication.
The findings represent a red flag for children’s health in that insufficient sleep is a significant risk factor for the development of childhood obesity, which in turn can lead to premature heart disease.
Health consequences for overweight children include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, bone and joint problems, as well as psychological problems such as depression. Also, extra weight can cause sleep disorders such as apnea which causes sleep deprivation.
Although lack of sleep may not be a risk factor for heart disease, it is a red flag for potential health problems when linked to obesity. Also, children who are tired are less likely to take part in sports and other physically strenuous activities.
The rate of childhood obesity has tripled over the last 25 years. On average, about 25 per cent of Canadian children between the ages of two and 17 are overweight or obese and that increases to 29 per cent among teens age 12 to 17.