Insufficient Sleep Associated With Unhealthy Lifestyle in Children

Sufficient sleep duration is a significant factor that contributes to the regulation of hormonal and metabolic procedures in children. A recent study suggests that insufficient sleep may be associated with unhealthy lifestyle habits in children, including obesity, unhealthy dietary habits, and increased screen time.

Participants in the study included more than 177,00 students between the ages of 8 and 17. Dietary habits, usual weekday and weekend sleeping hours, physical activity status, and sedentary activities were assessed through electronic questionnaires completed at school. Anthropometric and physical fitness data were gathered by physical education teachers.

Children who slept fewer than nine hours per night and teens who slept fewer than eight hours per night were considered to be getting insufficient sleep. Forty percent of the participants were classified as getting insufficient sleep.

After examining the data, the researchers found that insufficient sleep was associated with skipping breakfast, consuming fast food, and regularly consuming sweets. They also found that it was associated with increased screen time, less physical activity, and being overweight or obese.

Getting enough sleep, on the other hand, was associated with better aerobic fitness.

Researchers from Harokopio University in Greece conducted the study. It was published on October 15, 2018, in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.