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Skipping breakfast and irregular sleep patterns have been identified as key reasons why children may become dangerously overweight in research that sheds new light on the obesity epidemic. The Guardian reports.

The study, led by academics from University College London, challenges the widely-held view that soaring childhood obesity rates are caused solely by overeating

Lifestyle factors and the environment a child is brought up in play a significant role in their chances of becoming obese, the researchers found from examining records of the health and circumstances of children born into 19,244 families across the UK between September 2000 and January 2002.

“This study shows that disrupted routines, exemplified by irregular sleeping patterns and skipping breakfast, could influence weight gain through increased appetite and the consumption of energy-dense foods,” said Prof Yvonne Kelly, from UCL’s department of epidemiology and public health, who led the research.

Her team’s analysis of data collected by the Millennium Cohort Study showed that children who do not have a regular bedtime or who get too little sleep are at risk of gaining excess weight. Being born to a mother who smokes is another important factor in predicting whether a child will become overweight or obese, they found.

The researchers also concluded that a child’s consumption of sugary drinks or the amount of television they watch are not strong predictors of who will gain an unhealthy amount of weight.

The study also confirms the already well-established increased risk of a child born to an overweight or obese mother ending up with excess weight themselves. But breastfeeding and the early introduction of solid food make no difference to their risk, the researchers found.