The role of sleep and eating patterns in adiposity gain among preschool-aged children

Authors: GOETZ, AMY - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); JINDAL, ISHITA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MORENO, JENNETTE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); PUYAU, MAURICE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); ADOLPH, ANNE - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); MUSAAD, SALMA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BUTTE, NANCY - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC); BACHA, FIDA - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/14/2022
Publication Date: 7/14/2022
Citation: Goetz, A.R., Jindal, I., Moreno, J.P., Puyau, M.R., Adolph, A.L., Musaad, S., Butte, N.F., Bacha, F. 2022. The role of sleep and eating patterns in adiposity gain among preschool-aged children. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac197.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac197

Interpretive Summary: Short sleep duration (less than 9 hours in young children) is related to risk for obesity in preschool children however, the underlying mechanism(s) are not clear. Researchers in Houston, Texas investigated the relationship between sleep characteristics with body composition and weight-regulating behaviors in preschool-aged children (ages 3 to 5 years old). We examined the relationship between sleep, physical activity and dietary behaviors, and the effect of these behaviors on weight and fat gain a year later. We found that children do not consistently meet age-recommended sleep duration. Late sleep timing was related to a delay in morning and evening meals and more caloric intake in the evening, a factor that is related to weight gain in older individuals. Both a decrease in sleep duration and later meal timing were related to fat gain a year later and this indicates that insufficient sleep duration influences eating behaviors. This supports the importance of sleep hygiene with appropriate timing and adequate duration in preschool age children.

Technical Abstract: Short sleep duration is related to risk for obesity in preschool children. However, the underlying mechanism(s) are not clear. We evaluated the relationship between sleep characteristics with body composition, energetics and weight-regulating behaviors in preschool-aged children; and the longitudinal associations between children's sleep and eating patterns with body composition at 1-year follow-up. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of 118 children aged 3-5 years. Sleep (duration, midpoint, regularity) and physical activity (PA) were measured by accelerometry over 6 consecutive days; total energy expenditure (TEE) using the doubly-labeled water method; body composition (fat mass, fat-free mass, and %body fat) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; and dietary intake (energy intake, timing) using two 24-h recalls. Multivariable regression was used to estimate interindividual associations of sleep parameters with body composition, PA, TEE and dietary outcomes; and to examine the relationship between sleep and dietary behaviors with body composition one year later. Cross-sectionally, later sleep midpoint was associated with greater fat mass (0.33; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.60) and %body fat (0.92; 95% CI: 0.15, 1.70). Later sleep midpoint was associated with delayed morning (0.51; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.74) and evening meal times (0.41; 95% CI: 0.29, 0.53), higher nighttime (45.6; 95% CI: 19.7, 71.4), and lower morning (-44.8; 95% CI: -72.0, -17.6) energy intake. Longitudinally, shorter sleep duration (-0.02; 95% CI: -0.03, -0.00) and later meal timing (0.83; 95% CI: 0.24, 1.42) were associated with higher %body fat 1 year later. Shorter sleep duration and later meal timing are associated with adiposity gain in preschoolers.