Later bedtimes, after 9pm, appeared to double a child’s chances of suffering from the condition later in life, according to an American study of 977 children.
‘For parents, this reinforces the importance of establishing a bedtime routine,’ said Sarah Anderson (pictured below right), lead author and associate professor of epidemiology at The Ohio State University College of Public Health in Columbus.
‘It’s something concrete that families can do to lower their child’s risk and it’s also likely to have positive benefits on behavior and on social, emotional and cognitive development.’
Previous research has connected short sleep duration and obesity, with one study finding a correlation between late bedtimes and obesity risk five years later.
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