UF experts agree with a recent University of Pennsylvania study that found adults who stay up late tend to gain weight.
The study, in which researchers observed how sleep deprivation might affect eating patterns and weight gain, showed a significant weight gain among participants who slept for four hours a night.
Researchers found men gained more weight than women, and blacks gained more than whites.
People who stay awake longer have more chances to eat, said Janis Mena, nutritionist for UF’s Student Health Care Center.
They’re tired, so they look for energy, she said. Studies like these show that students should make sure they’re getting hydration, proper nutrition and sleep.
Anne Mathews, an assistant professor for UF’s Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, said lack of sleep may contribute to stress, which affects food choices and physical activity.
Poor sleep habits may allow hormones that control fat storage to deposit fat in places like the abdominal cavity, Mathews said.
Feriha Bilgen, a 19-year-old UF food science and human nutrition junior, said the study shows that if people don’t watch what they eat, they can gain a significant amount of weight.
She said UF students might not be eating as healthily as they used to at home or know how to prepare nutritious meals.
They tend to put studying before health and fitness during finals, Bilgen said. When students eat junk food to relieve stress and don’t exercise afterward, they gain weight because they’re taking in more calories than they’re losing.
“A frap at Starbucks may have up to 500 calories,” Bilgen said. “If you drink the coffee to stay awake a few times a week, then that’s an excess caloric intake.”
