Rosie Jackson, Kim A Meredith-Jones, Silke Morrison, Dawn E Elder, Barbara C Galland, Jillian J Haszard, Rachael W Taylor, Dean W Beebe
Journal: The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity 2024;21(1):61
PMID: 38835084
Studies have shown that the links between poor sleep and obesity may be mediated by diet rather than lower energy expenditure. However, previous studies have failed to account for lower energy expenditure when looking at the influence of diet on poor sleep and obesity in children. This randomised cross-over trial of 105 healthy children aged 8 to 12 years examined how losing sleep affects what children eat, considering their activity levels. The children experienced two different sleep conditions: one week of sleep extension, where they went to bed an hour earlier, and one week of sleep restriction, where they went to bed an hour later. The researchers measured the children's sleep patterns, physical activity, and sedentary time using a device worn on the waist, along with their dietary intake through detailed food recalls.
The results showed that changes in sleep duration can significantly influence children's dietary choices, potentially contributing to obesity risk. Increased sedentary time was associated with increased energy intake from non-core foods.
It was concluded that sleep loss makes people eat more, particularly unhealthy foods, and this effect isn’t explained by being less active or sitting more. It’s the lack of sleep that drives overeating. The study highlights the importance of understanding how sleep affects eating habits and activity levels in children. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand that recommendations of adequate sleep may be essential for children with obesity.
BACKGROUND
Although inadequate sleep increases the risk of obesity in children, the mechanisms remain unclear. The aims of this study were to assess how sleep loss influenced dietary intake in children while accounting for corresponding changes in sedentary time and physical activity; and to investigate how changes in time use related to dietary intake.
METHODS
A randomized crossover trial in 105 healthy children (8-12 years) with normal sleep (~ 8-11 h/night) compared sleep extension (asked to turn lights off one hour earlier than usual for one week) and sleep restriction (turn lights off one hour later) conditions, separated by a washout week. 24-h time-use behaviors (sleep, wake after sleep onset, physical activity, sedentary time) were assessed using waist-worn actigraphy and dietary intake using two multiple-pass diet recalls during each intervention week. Longitudinal compositional analysis was undertaken with mixed effects regression models using isometric log ratios of time use variables as exposures and dietary variables as outcomes, and participant as a random effect.
RESULTS
Eighty three children (10.2 years, 53% female, 62% healthy weight) had 47.9 (SD 30.1) minutes less sleep during the restriction week but were also awake for 8.5 (21.4) minutes less at night. They spent this extra time awake in the day being more sedentary (+ 31 min) and more active (+ 21 min light physical activity, + 4 min MVPA). After adjusting for all changes in 24-h time use, losing 48 min of sleep was associated with consuming significantly more energy (262 kJ, 95% CI:55,470), all of which was from non-core foods (314 kJ; 43, 638). Increases in sedentary time were related to increased energy intake from non-core foods (177 kJ; 25, 329) whereas increases in MVPA were associated with higher intake from core foods (72 kJ; 7,136). Changes in diet were greater in female participants.
CONCLUSION
Loss of sleep was associated with increased energy intake, especially of non-core foods, independent of changes in sedentary time and physical activity. Interventions focusing on improving sleep may be beneficial for improving dietary intake and weight status in children.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ANZCTR ACTRN12618001671257, Registered 10th Oct 2018, https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=367587&isReview=true.
© 2024. The Author(s).
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