Later bedtimes for tots can lead to weight problems

Benjamin Franklin may have been on to something when he prescribed “early to bed” for better health.

This could be especially true in the ongoing fight against childhood obesity. A recent study found that preschoolers who went to bed after 8 p.m. had a significantly higher risk of becoming obese teenagers than those with earlier bedtimes.

Led by researchers at Ohio State University, the study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, followed 977 children from ages 4.5 to 15 years, asking their parents what time they were put to bed on the weekdays. Bedtimes ranged from 6:45 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., with the most common times being 8, 8:30 and 9 p.m.

The scientists examined the children’s height, weight and body mass index as teenagers. “Pre-school-aged children with early bedtimes were half as likely as those with late bedtimes to become obese as adolescents,” the researchers wrote.

Only 10 percent of children put to bed by 8 p.m. were obese later, the study said. But 23 percent of the late-nighters (who went to bed after 9 p.m.) became obese teenagers.

While it’s unclear how children’s bedtimes affect body weight, other studies have found that a lack of sleep is linked to hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism. Staying up late also increases opportunities to snack.