Sleep restriction and weekend sleep compensation relate to eating behavior in school-aged children

Purpose: Several studies showed that shortened sleep duration and subsequent sleep debt are related to obesity risk in children. We evaluated the association between habitual sleep restriction and eating behavior in school-aged children with and without obesity. Patients and Methods: In 131 school-a...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Chamorro, Rodrigo, Garrido-González, Marcelo, Gutiérrez, Mariolly, Santos Martín, José Luis, Weisstaub, Gerardo
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Pública de Navarra
Repository:Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra
OAI Identifier:oai:academica-e.unavarra.es:2454/55330
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2454/55330
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Sleep duration
Sleep compensation
Eating behavior
Obesity
Children
Description
Summary:Purpose: Several studies showed that shortened sleep duration and subsequent sleep debt are related to obesity risk in children. We evaluated the association between habitual sleep restriction and eating behavior in school-aged children with and without obesity. Patients and Methods: In 131 school-aged children (mean [±SD] age 10.2 ± 2.0 years), we assessed eating behavior through the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ). Actigraphic recordings measured sleep patterns for 4 consecutive days, including a weekend day. CEBQ scores were calculated in sleep-restricted children (having a nighttime sleep duration < 8 hours) during week and weekend days and compared for those with (n = 67) and without obesity (n = 64). CEBQ scores were also compared between children with and without sleep compensation (a weekend catch-up in sleep duration ≥ 1 hour compared to weekdays’ sleep duration). Results: The mean sleep duration was 8.0 ± 1.3 h, and about 70% of children slept less than the daily sleep recommendation. Children having sleep restriction had higher scores in the four CEBQ pro-ingestion dimensions (all P< 0.021) as well as lower “satiety responsiveness” but higher “emotional undereating” scores (both P< 0.049). No differences in CEBQ were found in the normal-weight group when comparing children with or without sleep restriction. In the group with obesity, however, those sleep-restricted showed lower ratings in “slowness of eating” (P< 0.015), “satiety responsiveness”, and “food fussiness” (both P< 0.035) compared to non-restricted, particularly during weekend days. Finally, children showing no sleep compensation on weekend days had higher pro-ingestion (all P< 0.020) and lower anti-ingestion scores (all P< 0.041). Conclusion: Sleep duration was lower than the recommended sleep in this sample of school-aged children. Sleep restriction was associated with enhanced pro-ingestion eating behavior scores and reduced anti-ingestion scores. Sleep compensation appears to have a positive effect on eating behavior scores.