Relative Contribution of Obesity, Sedentary Behaviors and Dietary Habits to Sleep Duration Among Kuwaiti Adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether body mass index (BMI), eating habits and sedentary behaviours were associated with sleep duration among Kuwaiti adolescents. The study is part of the Arab Teens Lifestyle Study (ATLS), which is a school-based cross-sectional multi-center collaborative study. A sample of 906 adolescents (boys and girls) aged 14-19 years was randomly selected from 6 Kuwaiti Governances using a multistage stratified cluster sampling technique. The findings revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 50.5% in boys and 46.5% in girls. The majority of boys (76%) and of girls (74%) fell into the short sleep duration category (6 hours/day or less). Sleep duration were found to be negatively associated with BMI (girls only). Watching television (boys and girls) and working on computers (boys only) were also negatively associated with sleep duration. While the consumption of breakfast (both genders) and milk (boys only) was positively associated with sleep duration (p<0.05). In contrast, the consumption of fast foods (both genders), sugar-sweetened drinks and sweets (boys only) potatoes (girls only) were negatively associated with sleep duration (p<0.05). It can be concluded that the majority of Kuwaiti adolescents exhibit insufficient sleep duration which was associated with obesity measure, a combination of poor eating habits and more sedentary behaviors. The findings also suggest gender differences in these associations. Therefore, adequate sleep is an important modifiable risk factor to prevent obesity and was positively associated with some unhealthy lifestyle habits.

Association between screen time and dietary patterns and overweight/obesity among adolescents

“…The literature from cross-sectional studies evaluating this association is controversial. A number of international [13,29] and Brazilian [30][31][32] studies did not find this association. However, there is a growing body of research showing that sedentary activities are a risk factor to overweight/obesity [27,28,33].…”

“…In Brazil, the foods that compose this pattern are commonly eaten for breakfast, therefore, this could be indicative of breakfast consumption, this habit, in turn, has been considered a protective factor to overweight/obesity [29,36].…”

The Relationship Between Caffeine, Sleep, and Behavior in Children

“…Further, research looking specifically at an association between sugarsweetened beverages and sleep in children shows increased sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is associated with decreased sleep duration, [43][44][45] and most consistently in males. [46][47][48] The studies indicate further research on the short-term and long-term effect of sugar on sleep and sleepiness is required in children. Guarana contains large amounts of caffeine and could provide further caffeine-related effects on sleep and behavior that have not been measured in this study.…”

Impact of Attending the Diwaniyyah on Kuwaiti Men’s Health

“…The data identify that in the Kuwaiti population, the prevalence of obesity was the highest (48.2%), followed by hypertension (25.3%), diabetes (23.3%), and cancer (11%). The high rate of the occurrence of chronic diseases in the Kuwaiti population has led to several clinical, anthropological, and sociobiological studies conducted to detect the association between Kuwaiti individuals’ lifestyle, physical activities, and dietary habits and the high prevalence of chronic disease ( Al-Kandari,2010 ; Al-Haifi et al, 2015 ; Al-Hashel et al, 2016 ; Al-Kandari & Crews, 2014 ; Al-Ozairi et al, 2015 ; Al-Sejari, 2017 ; Channanath, Farran, Behbehani, & Thanaraj, 2015 ; Musaiger et al, 2014 ). These research findings reveal a significant association between (a) factors related to the high prevalence of obesity, chronic disease, and metabolic syndrome in the Kuwaiti population and (b) obese relatives, lower physical activity, sleep duration, and poor eating habits.…”