Researchers in human nutrition at the University of Otago in New Zealand found that teenage boys who sleep less have more body fat but sleep deprivation in girls has no discernible effect on their body fat ratios.
The study looked at the sleeping habits and height/weight/fat ratios in 386 boys and 299 girls aged between 15 and 18-years drawn from 11 secondary schools around Otago.
Lead researcher Dr Paula Skidmore said significant results between sleep duration and body composition were found in boys, but not in girls.
"The boys who slept eight hours a day would also have 1.8 kg more lean (bone and muscle) mass compared to the boys who slept ten hours, but that's only a 1.4 per cent increase, compared to the 9 per cent increase seen in body fat," Skidmore said.
"It was unexpected that we did not find the same result in girls, who may actually be more aware of their diet and more in tune with a healthier lifestyle," she said.
The study was published in Nutrition Journal.
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