Associations between the Chronotypes and Eating Habits of Hong Kong School-Aged Children

Abstract

Later chronotypes have been found to be associated with unhealthy diets in adolescents and adults, but no study has been conducted in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between the chronotypes and dietary patterns of school-aged children. Children aged 7–11 and their parents were recruited from five mainstream schools in Hong Kong. The parents were told to complete questionnaires on the children’s circadian preferences, food frequency, and dietary behaviors. All of the questionnaires were distributed and collected by schoolteachers. No gender differences in chronotype were observed (all p > 0.05). The evening-type was associated with significantly greater odds of viewing television (TV) during meals (adjusted odds ratios (OR) = 5.62 in boys and 5.39 in girls). Evening-oriented boys were prone to skipping breakfast (adjusted OR = 14.78), whereas evening-oriented girls were at risk of consuming fast food (adjusted OR = 7.74). There are indications of some gender differences in chronotype-related eating patterns. Sleep duration and screen time significantly mediated the associations between later chronotypes and unhealthy eating habits. Individualized dietary recommendations in accordance with circadian preferences may be effective at promoting healthy and nutritious diets for school-aged children.

Effect of chronotype on diet and sleep quality in healthy female students: night lark versus early bird

“…Recent studies show the relationship between evening chronotype and increased nutritional deficiency risk in the community in school-age children (Arora and Taheri, 2015;Yu et al, 2020), adults (Maukonen et al, 2017) and young females (Al-Rethaiaa et al, 2010;Sato-Mito et al, 2011). In a study conducted with school-age children aged 7-11, individuals with evening-type boys skip breakfast more often; and individuals with evening-type girls consume fast food more frequently (Yu et al, 2020).…”

“…Recent studies show the relationship between evening chronotype and increased nutritional deficiency risk in the community in school-age children (Arora and Taheri, 2015;Yu et al, 2020), adults (Maukonen et al, 2017) and young females (Al-Rethaiaa et al, 2010;Sato-Mito et al, 2011). In a study conducted with school-age children aged 7-11, individuals with evening-type boys skip breakfast more often; and individuals with evening-type girls consume fast food more frequently (Yu et al, 2020). Another study conducted in young adolescents aged 11-13 years showed that unhealthy snack consumption, insufficient vegetable/fruit consumption and nighttime caffeine consumption are associated with the evening chronotype (Arora and Taheri, 2015).…”

Individual Circadian Preference, Eating Disorders and Obesity in Children and Adolescents: A Dangerous Liaison? A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

“…Twelve of the included studies had a cross-sectional design [ 10 , 12 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 27 , 29 , 30 ], one was a retrospective cohort [ 28 ] and two were case-control [ 19 , 25 ]. Six out of the fifteen studies selected were conducted in Turkey and two in Spain.…”

Timing of food consumption in Hispanic adolescents with obesity

“…1,3 During this transition, adolescents will shift from a morning chronotype, well described in pre-pubertal children with an early morning wake time and early bedtime, to an evening chronotype as they start to stay up later and sleep in later. 1,5,6 Adolescents ages 17 to 19 are on average the latest chronotypes, and their delayed sleep-wake behaviours clash with traditional eating patterns, school start times and other scheduled activities of daily living. [1][2][3] As the obesity epidemic continues to rise in adolescence, it becomes imperative to understand developmentally appropriate eating behaviours and to create weight management strategies that build on those innate patterns and preferences.…”

“…[12][13][14][15] It could be postulated that adherence may improve if dietary recommendations mirror an eating pattern that best fits with the usual weekly routine and chronotype. 1,4,6 One dietary intervention that is gaining in popularity is time limited eating (TLE) [16][17][18][19] TLE has been shown to be an effective pattern for weight loss and to improve glycaemic control in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). [20][21][22] Although this approach may align well with normal adolescent eating patterns, it has not been well studied in adolescents with obesity.…”