Artificial Light Exposure May Cause Weight Gain In Children

New findings presented at the ASA Sleep Downunder Conference in Melbourne on October 23rd show that light exposure may increase the risk of weight gain in children.

A new study by QUT's Sleep in Early Childhood Research Group studied 48 children aged three to five from six Brisbane childcare centres over a two-week period. They measured each child's sleep, activity and light exposure, along with their height and weight to calculate their BMI.

"We found moderate intensity light exposure earlier in the day was associated with increased body mass index (BMI) while children who received their biggest dose of light -- outdoors and indoors -- in the afternoon were slimmer," said researcher Cassandra Pattinson, a PhD student, in a news release.

"Surprisingly physical activity was not associated with the body mass of the children but sleep timing and light exposure was. This is the first time light has been shown to contribute to weight in children.
"With an estimated 42 million children around the globe under the age of five being classified as overweight or obese, it is a significant breakthrough and a world-first."

The findings are particularly important as modern children are chronically exposed to more environmental light than those in previous generations. Researchers said they believe that the light exposure has paralleled global increases in obesity as our circadian clock--which is largely driven by our exposure to light and timing--may alter our sleep patterns, changing hormonal levels and increasing the risk of weight gain.

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