You can in good conscience put your toddlers to bed by 8pm as a new study finds a close relationship between bedtimes and obesity in teens. “Earlier bedtimes were protective against obesity,” Sarah Anderson, an associate professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University and author of the study from the Journal of Pediatrics, told TODAY.
The study shows an almost 50 percent drop in risk (ten years later) in toddlers who went to bed before or at 8pm. However, the study does not indicate waking times or that later bedtimes are a direct cause of teen obesity. This study only shows a relationship. The researchers looked at data from 977 children in the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development that examines child care and development as a longitudinal study.
An association between earlier bedtimes for kids and healthier weight at age 15 emerged; later bedtimes were related to increased risk of obesity. Only 10 percent of children who went to bed at 8 p.m. or earlier were obese, 16 percent of children who went to bed between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. were obese, while 23 percent of children who went to bed at 9 p.m. and later were obese. This was the same for both boys and girls.
Here’s one tried and true tip on getting your kids to bed on or in time:
Structure
“Your child will benefit from the structure and rules you set regarding bedtime limitations. In fact, having firm rules can ease – not cause – anxiety in children. Make sure you explain the new bedtime rules to your child. When you, the parent and/or guardian, are consistent with the bedtime rules, your child will understand what to expect, learn self-control, and adapt. In fact, they will learn to like the predictability of the sleep routine, but the initial few days need some determination on your part to succeed. It is also very important not to lose ground during holidays and vacations. All adults involved in bedtime routines should agree to act similarly so the child is not confused and learns not to push limits with one or the other adult.”
What do you think about the new study? Comment below.
sourced from clevelandclinic.org
Photo: momsmagazine.com
