I’m betting you can guess what my answer is to this question. As a pediatric sleep consultant, I tend to put a high priority on sleep and I am passionate about its benefits for babies and children.
But am I biased? Or is there evidence that shows the impact that sleep has on our children’s health? Great question!
First of all, don’t get me wrong. I completely agree that a healthy and balanced diet is absolutely necessary for our children’s health. I might even go as far to say that it’s the most important factor when it comes to our children’s well-being.
But sleep is either equally important or a very close second.
Children who are obese have a high chance of remaining obese as adults. And, as I’m sure you are aware, there is a wide range of health issues associated with obesity. (But just in case you’re not familiar, they include high blood pressure or heart disease, type-2 diabetes, sleep apnea or other breathing problems, bone and joint problems, and depression, just to name a few.)
The Evidence
But what does sleep have to do with obesity? Another great question!
A 2011 study done in Quebec looked at sleep duration, physical activity, and diet in comparison to obesity. Children with less than 10 hours of sleep per night had increased odds of obesity. Adding total food intake and physical activity did not substantially alter the association.
A 2008 study by the National Institute of Health looked at the average number of daily hours of sleep that children between 6 months and two years old were getting, and then compared those results with their incidences of obesity. The children who got an average of less than 12 hours of sleep a day were over twice as likely to be obese than those who slept for 12 or more.
A much larger study done in the UK showed similar results.
A Major Concern
With of all the physical and emotional health issues that come along with obesity, it seems to me that sleep should be a major concern for parents.
However, parents seem to be bombarded with all sorts of, in my opinion, poor sleep advice. I’m sure it’s meant to be reassuring, but given the evidence, I find it really upsetting.
“Babies sleep when they want to sleep. Don’t force it.”
“Not sleeping is totally normal for a baby.”
“Babies know how much sleep they need. Just follow their lead.”
Can you imagine if the same were said about your baby’s diet?!
“Kids will eat when they’re ready. You shouldn’t schedule mealtimes.”
“Eating chocolate is totally normal for babies.”
“Babies know what’s healthy to eat. Just follow their lead.”
If you heard anything like this, you’d probably be hoping that this person doesn’t have any children of their own that they’re treating this way. And you certainly wouldn’t be taking any of their parenting advice home to use on your kids.
As parents, we all obviously want our kids to be healthy, and we want to give them every advantage to ensure they get off to a good start. Making sure they get enough sleep, and teaching them solid sleep skills will go a long way to promoting their overall health down the road.