Researchers have discovered that teenagers who sleep late have a tendency to gain weight and increase their body mass index.
The study conducted at UC Berkeley followed hundreds of teens starting in 1994 and assessed their behaviours including sleeping habits and weight changes.
The study found that BMI increased by at least 2.1 points for every hour of loss of sleep, which could occur for a period of around five years.
The study led by Lauren Asarnow, a doctoral student of Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic recommended that teens should be more mindful of the time they sleep rather than rather than the total number of hours of sleep.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to men and women