(Harvard School of Public Health, 2013, p.1) Summary of Literature

The literature reviewed in this study has informed the study that children who sleep less hours each night are at a higher risk of becoming obese than children who sleep more than 12 hours each night. In a different study it is reported that infants sleeping less than 12 hours per night are twice as likely to be obese by age three. A study reported that followed children from birth to age 32 states findings that reduced sleep results in a 50% higher risk of obesity. More than nine million children over six years of age in the U.S. are obese. Sleep deprivation results in risks for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, as well as other health problems. Thermogenesis is held as a conceptual framework for studying obesity in adolescents. Leptin and Gherlin levels are affected by reduced sleep, which in turn affect eating choices and patterns resulting in obesity. Irregular snack intake, reduced physical activity and reduced sleeping hours are all found to be linked and to affect obesity risks in children and adolescents. Lack of sleep has been found in studies reported to increase hunger, give individuals more opportunity to eat, and to impact the food choices of individuals who are sleep deprived.

Data Collection and Analysis

Data collection and analysis in this study was conducted through a review of academic and professionally published peer-reviewed literature that was gained through Googling the phrase 'adolescents: sleep deprivation and obesity'. The data was reviewed and reported in what is a qualitative study conducted through a literature review of recent study reports on adolescence and obesity.

Implications for Intervention and Public Health

Arising from this study are findings that indicate that in order to bring about a reduction in obesity rates among adolescents that sleep deprivation must be addressed among adolescents who are obese and those who are sleep deprived in order to improve the health of adolescents.

References

AI-Hafian, K. (2008). Sleep, Obesity, and the Adolescent Population: A Literature Review. A project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Nursing. Washington State University

Chaput, J.P., Brunet, M., Tremblay, a. (2006). Relationship between short sleeping hours and childhood overweight/obesity: results from the "Quebec en Forme' Project. International Journal of Obesity, 30, 1080-1085.

Chaput, J.P., Brunet, M., Tremblay, a. (2006). Relationship between short sleeping hours and childhood...

International Journal of Obesity, 30, 1080-1085.
Chaput, J.P., Despres, J.P., Bouchard, C., Tremblay, a. (2007). Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin levels and increased adiposity: Results from the Quebec family study. Obesity, 15(1),253-261.

Chaput, J.P., Lord, C., Aubertin-Leheurdre, M., Dionne, I., Khalil, a., Tremblay, a. (2007). Is overweight/obesity associated with short sleep duration in older women? Aging and Clinical Experimental Research, 19, 290-294.

Dahl, R.E., Lewin, D.S. (2002) Pathways to adolescent health: Sleep Regulation and behavior. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31, 175-184.

Eisenmann, J.E. (2006). Sleep duration and overweight among Australian children and adolescents. Acta Paediatrica, 95, 956-962.

Kagamimori, S., Yamagami, T., Sokejima, Y., Numata, N., Handa, K., et al. (1999). The relationship between lifestyle, social characteristics and obesity in 3-year-old Japanese children. Child: Care, Health and Development, 23 (3), 235-247.

Pacheco, J. 2012) a Study of the Link Between Partial Sleep Deprivation and Obesity. Pace University. Digital Common @ Pace. 1 May 2012. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1119&context=honorscollege_theses

Patel, S.R., Malhotra, a., White, D., Gottlieb, D., Hu, F. (2006). Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. American Journal of Epidemiology, 164 (10), 947-954.

Shaikh, WA, Patel, M, and Singh, SK (2009) Sleep Deprivation Predisposes Gujarati Indian Adolescents to Obesity. Indian J. Community Med 2009 July, 34(3):192-194. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2800896/

Spiegel, K., Tasali, E. Penev, P., VanCauter, E. (2004). Brief Communication: Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Annals of Internal Medicine, 141, 846-850.

Spiegel, K., Leproult, R., Van Cauter, E. (1999). Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function. Lancet, 354, 1435-1439.

Taheri, S. (2006). The link between short sleep duration and obesity: We should recommend more sleep to prevent obesity. Archives of Diseases of Childhood, 91, 881 -884.

Taheri, S., Lin, L., Austin, D., Young, T., Mignot, E. (2004). Short Sleep Duration is Associated with Reduced Leptin, Elevated Ghrelin, and Increased Body Mass Index. PLoS Med, 1(3), 210.

Taheri, S., Lin, L., Austin, D., Young, T.,…