Is sleep as important as eating right?

You can guess what my answer is as a sleep advisor. In my opinion, sleep is of paramount importance in the lives of little ones and I have been passionate about this topic since the birth of my son.

But does my passion for sleep make me a little biased on this issue, or can I prove my point?

I believe that a healthy, balanced and varied diet is essential for children's well-being. It is perhaps one of the most important factors for their healthy development. BUT, I can't get over the importance of sleep!

I also dare to say that sleep is as important and essential for children's healthy development as proper nutrition.

Childhood obesity is one of the most important public health issues of our time. Obese children become obese adults, and this leads to a host of obesity-related health problems (diabetes, heart disease, cancers, osteoarthritis and arthritis).

The question may arise: what is the link between obesity and sleep?

A study published by the US National Institutes of Health in 2008 looked at the hours of sleep children between 6 months and 2 years of age had and compared the results with the prevalence of obesity. Children who averaged less than 12 hours of sleep per day were twice as likely to be obese as those who slept 12 hours or more. Shocking results, aren't they?

With all the health and general quality of life concerns related to obesity, I believe that getting a child a good night's sleep is one of the biggest responsibilities of the parent. I'm not saying it's no small responsibility for my fellow parents.

However, I often hear the following statements about newborn babies, which I personally find more annoying than helpful.

Here are some examples of sleep:

"Babies sleep when they want to. Let them decide if it's okay the way it is."

"Babies not sleeping is perfectly normal."

"Just follow the baby's rhythm. They know how much sleep they need."

So it's easy to imagine what great advice there is on eating out:

"Babies know what a healthy meal is. Just listen to them."

"Eating chocolate is perfectly normal for young children."

"Children will eat when they are ready. You should not schedule meals. They will tell you when they are hungry."

I do not agree with any of this. I am a firm believer in consistent feeding and anaesthesia. Of course, we take into account the needs of the little ones, but I am convinced that feeding and sleeping with quality ingredients, done with the right regularity, is our responsibility - that is, the responsibility of us, the parents.

As parents, we all naturally want our children to live happy, healthy and balanced lives. How much we do is up to us. I believe we can make a significant difference to our children's health with a little research and awareness.