Obesity link to sleep patterns revealed
Lower-cost obesity insurance could be an option for people who get between eight and nine hours sleep a night.
Scientists have found that such individuals are most likely to achieve an optimal weight.
Research published in today’s Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine also revealed that women with clinical medical problems are more likely to be obese if they have either very long or short sleep times.
The study, conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, singled out smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes and young age as other factors featuring in the obesity lottery.
"Whether or not manipulating sleep time in adults will prevent additional weight gain or facilitate weight loss is unclear," remarked Kenneth Nugent of Texas Tech University.
He added: "This question will require therapeutic trials in which sleep hygiene is addressed during weight loss studies."
Although the study did not clarify the relationship between sleep and weight in men, it put forward obstructive sleep apnea as one potential reason for the link.
The condition refers to overweight people struggling to breathe because fat in their throats blocks their airways, leading scientists to conclude that their obesity affects sleep patterns, rather than vice versa.
The Insurance Helpline specialises in obtaining cover for people living with obesity
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