Does sleep restriction increase eating in the absence of hunger? Maybe!

See corresponding article on page 1428.

Sleep is increasingly recognized as a critical component of health. Unfortunately, insufficient sleep is common in the population, and the adverse effects associated with lack of sleep are numerous (1, 2). Many studies, including longitudinal studies and randomized experiments, have shown that a short sleep duration is associated with weight gain and obesity (3, 4). Increased food intake appears to be the key mechanism by which insufficient sleep leads to weight gain (4). A recent meta-analysis reported that short sleepers eat 385 kcal more per day compared to those who sleep the “adequate amount” based on sleep duration recommendations (5).