Inadequate sleep puts kids' health at risk: report

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A recent report showed that more than 60 percent of CHINESE children and teens do not get adequate sleep, which can put their health at risk, according to Monday's China Daily.

School homework, use of electronic devices are major causes of their inadequate sleep, said the report, which was released by the CHINESE sleep Research Society.

Nearly 63 percent of CHINESE youths ages 6 to 17 sleep less than eight hours a day, according to the report. Among 13- to 17-year-olds, the rate is more than 81 percent.

The report was based on a survey conducted at the end of last year and in January. And the survey covered nearly 70,000 children and teens ages 6 to 17 across the CHINESE mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

The report found that the heavy school homework load and the popularization of electronic devices were the two top causes for the inadequate sleep. From Monday to Thursday, 8.4 percent of the group would still be busy with their homework after 11 p.m.

More than 41 percent of children and teenagers who sleep too little use electronic devices such as computer tablets and mobile phones, the survey found, and youths whose parents use smartphones in front of them are more likely to have less sleep.

Other factors, such as noise and light pollution, contributed to the problem, the report said.