Study: Later Bedtime Linked To Weight Gain

BERKELEY, Calif. (CBS Sacramento)-- Going to bed late at night could lead to weight gain over the years, according to new research.

The latest study suggests that going to bed later during the work week, from teenage years throughout adulthood, could lead to an increase in body mass index (BMI) over time, as reported by Independent.

"The aim of the current study was to examine the longitudinal relationship between bedtimes and body mass index from adolescence to adulthood in a nationally representative sample," study authors wrote. "The results highlight bedtimes as a potential target for weight management during adolescence and during the transition to adulthood."

Experts say the results were significant even after controlling for demographic factors and baseline BMI..

"Although sleep duration, screen time and exercise frequency did not attenuate the relationship between work day bedtime and BMI over time, fast food consumption was recognized as a significant partial mediator of the relationship between bedtimes and BMI longitudinally."

University of California Berkeley, Columbia University, and New York Psychiatric Institute researchers evaluated the bedtimes of 3,300 teens between 1994 and 2009.

Health officials say lack of sleep is a growing issue and that people often undermine its importance, unlike other lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. Routinely getting less than six hours of sleep per night is proven to impact attention, concentration, memory and even linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease.