An Hour Less Sleep Ups Diabetes Risk

A study found that children who slept on average one hour less a night had higher risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including higher levels of blood glucose and insulin resistance.

An hour less sleep ups diabetes risk. Image credit: tasnimnews.com (CC BY 4.0)

The recommended sleep duration for a 10 year old is 10 hours and so a child getting just one hour less has a higher risk, researchers from University of St George's London said.

Professor Christopher G Owen, who led the research, said, "These findings suggest increasing sleep duration could offer a simple approach to reducing levels of body fat and type 2 diabetes risk from early life.”

"Potential benefits associated with increased sleep in childhood may have implications for health in adulthood," he added.

The study also confirmed prior research that has shown an association between shorter sleep duration and higher levels of body fat.

Children who slept longer had lower body weight and lower levels of fat mass. Sleep duration was also inversely related to insulin, insulin resistance and blood glucose.

The study did not find an association between sleep duration and cardiovascular risk factors, including blood lipids and blood pressure.

The authors conclude that increasing the mean weekday sleep duration (10.5 hours) by half an hour could be associated with a 0.1 kg/m² lower body mass index and a 0.5 percent reduction in insulin resistance.

Reducing these levels may have longer-term implications for reduced Type 2 Diabetes in later life, the study states. (Tasnim News Agency)

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