Early_to_Bed,_Early_to_Rise_'Helps_Tackle_Childhood_Obesity'

Sending children to bed early may help them to beat obesity, research suggests. Scientists found that children who went to bed late and got up late were 1.5 times more likely to become obese than those who went to bed early and got up early. Those who stayed up late were also almost twice as likely to be physically inactive and almost three times more likely to spend time in front of a TV or computer. Scientists recorded the bed times and waking times of 2,200 Australian youngsters aged between nine and 16. Study author Dr Carol Maher, from the University of South Australia, said: 'The children who went to bed late and woke up late, and the children who went to bed early and woke up early, got virtually the same amount of sleep in total. 'Scientists have realised in recent years that children who get less sleep tend to do worse on a variety of health outcomes, including the risk of being overweight and obese. 'Our study suggests that the timing of sleep is even more important.' For young people, mornings are more conducive to physical activity than nights, when the temptations of prime-time TV and social networking are greater, Dr Maher pointed out.The findings are published in the October 1 issue of the journal Sleep. Children who were early-to-bed and early-to-rise went to bed between 70 and 90 minutes earlier on average than those who stayed up later, the study found. They also accumulated 27 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each day. Late-bed/late-risers watched TV, played video games or were online 48 minutes longer each day than early-bed/early-risers. Body Mass Index (BMI) scores, which relate weight and height, were higher for late-risers than early-risers. Late-risers were more likely to be overweight or obese.