Health bits: Lack of sleep could make you fat

City Press health reporter Zinhle Mapumulo’s pick of health and lifestyle research published this week.

» Poor sleep increases your appetite
New research from Uppsala University in Sweden shows that sleep-deprived people eat bigger sizes of energy-dense snacks and meals than they do after one night of normal sleep.

The findings, published in the journal of Psychoneuroendocrinology, show people who don’t sleep enough tend to pick large portions of food in meals under buffet-like conditions. Researchers suggest that this could lead to weight gain in the long run.

» Flu vaccine could be beneficial to your unborn baby
Pregnant women who received the flu vaccine during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic lowered their risk of delivering premature babies, a new study found.

The study, published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal showed that infants born to vaccinated mothers were 37% less likely of being born early and the babies weighed more at birth than those born to unvaccinated women.

» Alcohol makes it difficult for women smokers to quit
Women who are regular drinkers of alcohol and are trying to quit smoking are at greater risk of falling off the wagon than those who don’t drink.

A new study conducted by the University of Texas School of Public Health found that women who use alcohol as a way of trying to fight off the urge to smoke could actually increase cravings for cigarettes.