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Is the internet making you fat?
25/07/2008 07:17 - (SA)
New York - Girls and young women
who spend too much time on the internet and who get too little
sleep or regularly drink alcohol are more likely to put on
excess weight, according to a new study.
Researchers who studied more than 5 000 girls between 14
and 21 years old for a year, found that the more spare time
girls spent on the internet, the more their body mass index
(BMI) increased.
The scientists also found similar patterns when they looked
at alcohol consumption and sleep. Lack of sleep was linked to
greater gains in BMI - a measure of weight in relation to
height.
Dr Catherine S Berkey, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and
Harvard Medical School in Boston who reported the findings in
the Journal of Pediatrics, said although the effect of each may
be small, over time the pounds add up.
The researchers surveyed the number of hours per week the
girls and young women spent on the internet, as well as how
long they slept each night and how much alcohol they usually
drank.
They found as internet use climbed, so did BMI,
particularly among girls younger than 18 years old.
High-risk groups
Girls who slept five hours or less tended to gain more
weight than those who got eight hours of sleep. Young women who
had two or more alcoholic drinks per week put on more pounds
than those who drank less.
Berkey's team said a 19-year-old of average weight and
height would gain 1.8kg if she were in the
high-risk groups for internet use, sleep and alcohol
consumption. They suggested that spending hours on the internet
contributes to weight gain by reducing time spent doing
physical activity.
Lack of sleep may make people too tired to be active during
the day and sleep deprivation also affects hormones and
metabolism in a way that might promote weight gain.
Alcohol contains a significant amount of calories, and
research suggests that people usually don't make an adjustment
for liquid calories by eating or drinking less throughout the
rest of the day.
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