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Health

Later bedtimes on weekends are linked to weight gain in children

Children who go to bed later on the weekends than they do midweek have a larger waist circumference and a higher body mass index than those with a consistent bedtime

By Alice Klein

1 April 2023

Limiting screen time could encourage children to go to bed at the same time every night

Rebecca Nelson/Getty Images

Staying up late on weekends may drive excess weight gain in school-aged children, possibly due to “social jet lag” disrupting their ability to process food efficiently.

Previous research suggests that children who get less than the recommended amount of sleep per night are more likely to become overweight, but less is known about the effect of inconsistent bedtimes.

To learn more, Heli Viljakainen at the University of Helsinki, Finland, and her colleagues took body …

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