Sleep Duration and Quality in Children: Interactions with Food Choices, Energy Balance, and Digital Screen-Time”

Supervisor: Dr. Scott Harding

Where and When: Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, 9:00AM. CSF 2342

Abstract

Chronic obesity is a complex health problem that affects millions of people globally, with children no exception. Childhood obesity is a multifactorial condition affected by genetic and lifestyle factors and, if left untreated, can cause serious health consequences such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Despite its complexity, obesity can still be treated. It is essential to identify modifiable lifestyle habits associated with childhood obesity, including sleep, dietary habits, physical activity (PA), and screen time (ST). We aimed to examine the interactions between sleep, ST, and PA and determine their simultaneous and separate influence on food choices, especially the amount of sugar, fruit, and vegetables, in a representative sample of Newfoundland children and adolescents, which has the highest rate of obesity in Canada.
Twenty-two participants aged 9-12 years were recruited for this pilot and feasibility study. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to the WHO guidelines. Data on the demographic characteristics and ST were collected using questionnaires. Sleep and PA data were obtained by using actigraphy and questionnaires. The Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool was used to collect and analyze the dietary intake data from two dietary recalls. Linear regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, parental education, and household income.
Among the 22 participants (10.5 ±1.2 y, 59.1% female, 68.2% Caucasian), 52% slept for less than eight hours. Moreover, 70% of the children had less than 60 min of PA. Also, 78% had ST more than 2 hours per day. In addition, 83% consumed more than 25 g of added sugar and 70% consumed less than 3.5 cups of fruit and vegetables daily. A negative correlation was found between sleep duration and vegetable (r=-0.494, p=0.019) and protein consumption (r=-0.633, p=0.002), and a positive correlation was found between sleep duration and added sugar (r=0.647, p=0.001). No significant relationships were found between PA, ST, and food choice.
It is necessary to investigate lifestyle behaviors further to develop effective policies and interventions to reduce childhood overweight and obesity. According to our results, sleep patterns may be potential targets for intervention studies and obesity prevention programs.