Sleep and obesity in children

INTRODUCTION The prevalence and severity of obesity in children and adolescents are dramatically increasing worldwide (1,2). The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a rapid fourfold rise in child and adolescent obesity (ages 6-19) over the past 20 years (3). Thus, in parallel to the increase in obesity secular trends among the adult population, excessive ponderal indices currently affect 15-17% of all children and adolescents, with figures steadily rising (4). Concomitant with the increase in the prevalence of obesity, our society is facing a progressive reduction in sleep duration. Over the past 40 years, sleep duration of Americans has decreased significantly. Curtailment of sleep duration has become a widespread habit and a hallmark of modern society (5-7). Evidence suggests that short sleep duration and sleep disruption have a deleterious impact on glucose metabolism and appetite regulation and are associated with increased risk of obesity.