Association between sleep duration and overweight: the importance of parenting

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sleep duration has been related to overweight in children, but determinants of sleep duration are unclear. The aims were to investigate the association between sleep duration and childhood overweight adjusted for family characteristics and unhealthy behaviours, to explore determinants of sleep duration and to determine with sleep competing activities. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2006 among 4072 children aged 4-13 years in the city of Zwolle, The Netherlands. In these children, data were available on measured height, weight and waist circumference, and from a parental questionnaire, on socio-demographic characteristics, child's sleep duration, nutrition, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Associations were studied in 2011 using logistic and linear regression analyses, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Short sleep duration was associated with overweight for 4-8-year-old boys (odds ratio (OR):3.10; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.15-8.40), 9-13-year-old boys (OR:4.96; 95% CI:1.35-18.16) and 9-13-year-old girls (OR:4.86; 95% CI:1.59-14.88). Among 4-8-year-old girls no statistically significant association was found. Determinants for short sleep duration were viewing television during a meal, permission to have candy without asking, not being active with their caregiver and a late bedtime. For all children, short sleep duration was strongly associated with more television viewing and computer use. CONCLUSIONS: Association between sleep duration and overweight is not explained by socio-demographic variables, drinking sugared drinks and eating snacks. Parents have a key role in stimulating optimal sleep duration. Improving parenting skills and knowledge to offer children more structure, and possibly with that, increase sleeping hours, may be promising in prevention of overweight. INTRODUCTIONOver the past decades, there has been a growing interest in the relationship between sleep duration and high body weight. A large number of studies has shown an association between reduced sleep duration and childhood overweight, especially in young children. [1][2][3] The association between short sleep duration and overweight seems to be stronger for boys than girls, 4 although not all studies have reported a gender difference. 2 Possible explanations for the association between sleep duration and overweight include the role of behavioural and hormonal factors; short sleep leaves more time for eating, particularly snacking or drinking sugared drinks, and causes alterations in appetite-regulating hormones resulting in overeating. 1,2,5 Moreover, sleepiness may result in reduced physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour. 1,2,5 Determinants of short sleep duration have not yet been fully explored. Presumably, sleep duration is influenced by a combination of socio-demographic, behavioural and environmental factors. With regard to socio-demographic factors, children of Caucasian ethnicity have been indicated to sleep longer than children of other ethnicities. [6][7][8][9] ...

Clustering patterns of obesity-related multiple lifestyle behaviours and their associations with overweight and family environments: a cross-sectional study in Japanese preschool children

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Systematic review of the relationships between sleep duration and health indicators in school-aged children and youth

“…e Includes 58 cross-sectional studies (Al-Hazzaa 2014;Al-Hazzaa et al 2012;Araujo et al 2012;Awad et al 2013;Bawazeer et al 2009;Bel et al 2013;Berentzen et al 2014;Butte et al 2007;Chaput et al 2011Chaput et al , 2014Calamaro et al 2010;Colley et al 2012;Culnan et al 2013;Danielsen et al 2010;de Jong et al 2012;Do et al 2013;Ekstedt et al 2013;Eisenmann et al 2006;Garaulet et al 2011;Guo et al 2012;Gupta et al 2002;Hense et al 2011;Hiscock et al 2011;Hjorth et al 2014aHjorth et al , 2014bHuang et al 2010;Katzmarzyk et al 2015;Knutson 2005;Knutson and Lauderdale 2007;Kong et al 2011;Kuciene and Dulskiene 2014;Lee and Park 2014;Liou et al 2010;Lowry et al 2012;Magee et al 2013a;Martinez-Gomez et al 2011;Meldrum and Restivo 2014;Morley et al 2012;Martinez et al 2014;Ozturk et al 2009;Padez et al 2009;Pallesen et al 2011;Park 2011…”