Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Obesity

There are a number of things that can contribute to you getting fat. Some of which are surprising but they make sense. Most people think it only the usual suspects such as over eating and lack of exercise and excessive carbohydrates but there are many more things that can help you gain weight.

Lack of sleep

Did you know that a lack of sleep can cause you to get fat? If you receive 4 hours or less of sleep each night your chances of getting fat are well over 70%. Add one more hour of sleep per night, bringing your total to 5 hours, and the percentage, chance of you becoming obese drops to 50%. This is significant. If you are worried about being in debt or losing your job, the anxiety or stress generated can keep you from sleeping and contribute to your obesity. People who can't sleep may occupy their time by eating. Increase your sleeping hours to 6 and the chance of obesity drops significantly to 23%.

The real reason behind the weight gain is because of a hormone called leptin. Leptin is responsible for decreasing our hunger and it also helps to give us that full sensation or fullness. Unfortunately when you don't get enough sleep your body produces less leptin so when you see food all you want to do is eat. When you get to the level of eating where you would normally stop because you are full you continue eating because nothing is signaling that you are full.

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People who sleep for four hours or less per night are 73 per cent more likely to be obese. A team from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York found that, even after factors such as depression, physical activity, alcohol consumption, ethnicity, education, age and gender had been taken into account, people were more likely to be obese the less sleep they had.

Wide variety of food

Health and nutrition experts say you need a variety of foods to get all the nutrition your body needs. The only problem is when people are presented with a number of food choices they are enticed to eat more. Have you ever gone to one of those all you can eat buffets? They have everything you can think of, chicken, roast beef, turkey, greens, corn bread, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, stuffing and dressing, green been, baked chicken, fried chicken, fish, okra, soup, and many more foods. Now this does not include all of the desserts. Is it any wonder people are obese. With a variety like that who would not eat more.

Acquaintances

If the people you are hanging out with are fat there is a good chance that you are going to get fat. Most people that have friends like to do the same things as their friends and unfortunately if that happens to be eating then so be it.

Of course there are other things that contribute to obesity such as genes, hormones and even air conditioning. If you take control of the things we can then people will see less incidences of obesity.

Source: http://www.dailyher.com/2007/08/what-makes-u-fat.html

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/what-makes-us-fat-463308.html