Disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms: novel risk factors for obesity

JL Broussard, E Van Cauter - Current opinion in endocrinology …, 2016 - journals.lww.com
JL Broussard, E Van Cauter
Current opinion in endocrinology, diabetes and obesity, 2016journals.lww.com
Four important findings are briefly reviewed: disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms in
children and young adults are risk factors for the development of lifelong obesity; circadian
misalignment, as occurs in shift work, has an adverse impact on energy balance and
increases the risk of weight gain; the endocannabinoid system, an important regulator of
hedonic feeding, could be a potential link between sleep, circadian rhythms, and feeding
behavior; and disturbances of the circadian variation in composition of the gut microbiome …
Summary
Four important findings are briefly reviewed: disturbances of sleep and circadian rhythms in children and young adults are risk factors for the development of lifelong obesity; circadian misalignment, as occurs in shift work, has an adverse impact on energy balance and increases the risk of weight gain; the endocannabinoid system, an important regulator of hedonic feeding, could be a potential link between sleep, circadian rhythms, and feeding behavior; and disturbances of the circadian variation in composition of the gut microbiome may be involved in the increased risk of obesity associated with insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins