Sleep Duration and Overweight/Obesity in Preschool-Aged Children: A Prospective Study of up to 48,922 Children of the Jiaxing Birth Cohort

Abstract

Study Objectives: To examine the association between sleep duration and overweight/obesity in preschool-aged children. Methods: A total of 48,922 3-year old children enrolled in the Jiaxing Birth Cohort, who provided sleep information and anthropometric data, were included in the present study as baseline and were followed up to 5 years of age. Sleep duration was categorized as ≤ 10 hours, 11-12 hours, and ≥ 13 hours. Overweight and obesity were defined according to the cut point criteria in China. Prevalence ratios and risk ratios were used to assess the association between sleep duration and risk of overweight/obesity. Results: In cross-sectional analyses at baseline, the adjusted prevalence ratios (95% confidence interval) of overweight (with 11-12 h of sleep being considered the reference group) for children sleeping ≤ 10 h and ≥ 13 h were 1.13 (1.06-1.20) and 1.16 (1.09-1.24), respectively, whereas the adjusted prevalence ratios (95% confidence interval) of obesity were 1.25 (1.11-1.40) and 1.25 (1.11-1.42). In longitudinal analyses, the adjusted risk ratios (95% confidence interval) of overweight for children sleeping ≤ 10 h and ≥ 13 h were 1.48 (1.26-1.74) and 1.13 (0.96-1.34), while adjusted risk ratios (95% confidence interval) of obesity were 1.77 (1.30-2.40) and 1.19 (0.85-1.66). Restricted cubic splines regression supported U-shaped curvilinear associations between sleep duration and overweight/obesity in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Conclusions: Both short and overlong sleep duration are associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity in preschool-aged children. Optimizing sleep duration may be an important modifiable intervention for overweight and obesity.

Impact of lifestyle behaviors in early childhood on obesity and cardiometabolic risk in children: Results from the Spanish INMA birth cohort study

“…Large number of cross‐sectional studies found a protective role of long sleep duration on childhood obesity . Yet, a study on 48,922 children aged 3 years found that both short and overlong sleep duration were associated with a higher risk of obesity . The longitudinal approach of our study emphasize on the importance of adequate sleep time in early childhood on weight control later in children.…”

“…42,43 Yet, a study on 48,922 children aged 3 years found that both short and overlong sleep duration were associated with a higher risk of obesity. 44 The longitudinal approach of our study emphasize on the importance of adequate sleep time in early childhood on weight control later in children. Specially that in Spain 45% of children are not sleeping the recommended hours per day 45 and those not sleeping the recommended daily hours tend to have obesity.…”

Novel Insights in the Metabolic Syndrome in Childhood and Adolescence

“…A recent study revealed that acute sleep restriction increases dietary intake in preschool-aged children [44, 45]. In addition, Wang et al [45] demonstrated that both short and overlong sleep duration are associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity in preschool-aged children and with an impairment of their lipid profile. Detailed pathophysiological pathways for these associations are unknown at present, but leptin levels and different compositions of diets seem to play a role [42].…”

“…Nonetheless, chronic short sleep duration (less than 8 h) in children and adolescents as well as poor or insufficient sleep quality are associated with elements of MetS such as increased blood pressure, probably driven by blunting of the usual nocturnal dip in blood pressure, or insulin resistance in children independent of obesity [43]. A recent study revealed that acute sleep restriction increases dietary intake in preschool-aged children [44, 45]. In addition, Wang et al [45] demonstrated that both short and overlong sleep duration are associated with a higher risk of overweight/obesity in preschool-aged children and with an impairment of their lipid profile.…”

Night sleep duration and risk of each lipid profile abnormality in a Chinese population: a prospective cohort study

“…Shorter or longer sleep durations have been reported to be associated with a higher risk of diabetes mellitus [1][2][3], obesity [4,5], and hypertension [6,7], and shorter or longer sleep durations have also been suggested to be related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) [8,9] and atherosclerosis [10]. It has been increasingly recognized that sleeping habits, along with other lifestyle habits, such as eating, exercising, smoking, and drinking, are potential risk factors for cardiovascular outcomes.…”