title: Longitudinal associations between sleep duration and subsequent weight gain: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically examine the relationship between sleep duration and subsequent weight gain in observational longitudinal human studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review of twenty longitudinal studies published from 2004-October 31, 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While adult studies (n = 13) reported inconsistent results on the relationship between sleep duration and subsequent weight gain, studies with children (n = 7) more consistently reported a positive relationship between short sleep duration and weight gain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While shorter sleep duration consistently predicts subsequent weight gain in children, the relationship is not clear in adults. We discuss possible limitations of the current studies: 1) the diminishing association between short sleep duration on weight gain over time after transition to short sleep, 2) lack of inclusion of appropriate confounding, mediating, and moderating variables (i.e., sleep complaints and sedentary behavior), and 3) measurement issues.
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Program in Population Health and Clinical Outcomes Research, Department of Preventive Medicine, HSC Level 3, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, USA. lorrie.magee@stonybrook.edu
authors.forename: Lorrie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hale
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000150:complications*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult