‘Social Jet Lag’ Can Figure Into Obesity

‘Social Jet Lag’ Can Figure Into Obesity

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As many working people and students can attest, the sound of the alarm clock in the morning can mean an unpleasant jolt out of a nice deep sleep. And disrupting the body’s internal clock in this way can lead to a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese, according to a new European study published in the journal Current Biology.

Led by Till Roenneberg at the University of Munich, the study evaluated the relationship between social jet lag — which the researchers describe as the discrepancy between one’s internal and social clocks — and body mass index. The researchers found that those who disrupted their biological rhythms, which are determined in part by genetics, had a greater chance of not only becoming overweight or obese but also more likely to smoke and drink more alcohol and caffeinated beverages.