Dietary Patterns in Relation to Prospective Sleep Duration and Timing among Mexico City Adolescents

Abstract

Adult studies show that healthy diet patterns relate to better sleep. However, evidence during adolescence, when sleep may change dramatically, is lacking. Within a cohort of 458 Mexican adolescents, we examined whether consumption of three dietary patterns was associated with sleep duration and timing measured 2 years later, as well as changes in sleep timing and duration. Dietary patterns (identified a posteriori in a prior analysis) were assessed with a baseline food frequency questionnaire, and sleep was measured with wrist actigraphy at baseline and follow-up. Linear regression analyses adjusting for sex, age, screen time, and smoking were conducted. Adolescents with higher consumption of a Plant-Based and Lean Proteins pattern had earlier sleep timing (−0.45 h with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) −0.81, −0.08 in the highest compared to lowest quartiles), less of a phase delay in sleep timing over follow-up (−0.39 h with 95% CI −0.80, 0.02), and shorter weekend sleep duration (0.5 h with 95% CI −0.88, −0.1). Higher consumption of an Eggs, Milk and Refined Grain pattern was associated with earlier sleep timing (−0.40 h with 95% CI −0.77, −0.04), while consumption of a Meat and Starchy pattern was related to higher social jetlag (weekend–weekday sleep timing difference). Healthier diet patterns may promote better sleep in adolescents.

Dietary patterns and sleep disorders in Mexican adults from a National Health and Nutrition Survey

“…One study in young Mexican-American adults suggested that alcohol-use disorders are significantly associated with poorer sleep quality and that substance-use disorders may affect different aspects of sleep than do anxiety and depressive disorders (58) . In addition, a study on Mexican adolescents documented that males with a relatively older age, non-students, with more screen time, and having smoked cigarettes at any point, were associated with a later weekday sleep midpoint (37) .…”

“…Furthermore, few studies have related diet with sleep disorders in Mexican adults. In one adolescent cohort, consumption of a healthy plant-based and lean protein dietary pattern was associated with an earlier bedtime, as assessed 2 years later (37) . In one cohort of female teachers, a fruit and vegetable-based dietary pattern was associated with greater sleep quality (38) .…”

Mediterranean Diet on Sleep: A Health Alliance

“…Furthermore, a more sustainable lifestyle approach is thought to be via the modification of the dietary pattern as a whole, instead of simply supplementing or depleting some specific foods or nutrients. However, the influence of dietary patterns on sleep has been less explored [ 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ], and most of the available evidence in this context has been focused on the effects of the Mediterranean diet on sleep and to see whether sleep improvements might be an additional health benefit of this diet.…”

Mental health problems among Chinese adolescents during the COVID-19: The importance of nutrition and physical activity

“…Considering the fact that adolescence is a key period of physical, social, and emotional changes, nutritional status may play a crucial role in preventing mental health problems and promoting well-being among adolescents ( Bühlmeier et al, 2018 ). Specifically, a recent research found that healthier diet patterns may promote better sleep quality among adolescents ( Jansen et al, 2020 ). Additionally, data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey with 65,267 adolescents indicated that a healthy diet pattern with regular fruit intake was significantly associated with both lower risks of depressive and anxiety symptoms ( Liu et al, 2020 ).…”