A Teen Life report examines the link between sleep deprivation and obesity in teens.

It’s no surprise that teens who are not getting enough sleep feel tired during the day. Research highlights that the fatigue felt as a result of inadequate sleep severely interferes with eating habits, even altering a teen’s appetite.

Tired children were up to 50% more likely to crave carbohydrates than those that achieved an adequate amount of sleep. Dr. Mahmood Siddique, Director of Sleep and Wellness Medical Associates and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey Research, states that studies undertaken in 2011 showed “a linear relationship between carbohydrate craving and sleep deprivation; in particular, as sleep deprivation increased, self-reported carbohydrate craving also increased.” Teens not getting enough sleep are also more likely to snack and eat fast, ready-made food, as they do not have the energy to cook or seek out healthy meals.

View the full story at www.teenlife.com