People need 'five hours sleep to fight obesity'

If people want to lose weight they need to ensure that they are getting at least five hours sleep in bed every night, scientists have suggested.

Researchers from Ajou University have discovered that those sleeping in bed for less than five hours were far more likely to be obese than those who rest for longer.

The Korea Times reports that the problem was also more evident in men than women.

Furthermore, professor Kim Dae-iung, from the team of researchers, said: "Noteworthy was that the correlation between lack of sleep and obesity was more evident among those aged between 20 and 40 than older age groups."

He believes this is because young people do not get as much sleep in bed every night because they are more likely to be out drinking, working or engaging in other forms of entertainment.

In related news, Canadian scientists from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute have recently discovered a link between the amount of time a person spends sitting down and their risk of developing sleep apnoea.