A study from researchers at Columbia University finds that losing sleep for a relatively short period is associated with weight gain and increased waist size. Across about six weeks, participants who sleep less show changes in body weight and waist circumference compared with those who get more sleep. The findings are tied to sleep restriction on the order of roughly 90 minutes less per night. The New York Post reports that participants gained around 1 pound and developed slightly larger waistlines. Fox News similarly describes results showing weight gain and waistline increases under the sleep-shortage conditions. The study suggests that even modest reductions in nightly sleep can have measurable effects on weight-related outcomes over a matter of weeks. The reports focus on the magnitude of weight and waist changes observed during the study period and describe sleep loss as the key variable being tested.