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Association between inadequate sleep and insulin resistance in obese children

Janna Flint1, Sanjeev V Kothare, Mamoon Zihlif

  • 1Section of Endocrinology, St Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134, USA. janna.flint@tenethealth.com

The Journal of Pediatrics
|March 27, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Obese children with short sleep duration or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) show increased insulin resistance. Shorter sleep and OSAS are linked to higher HOMA-IR, a key marker for insulin resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Metabolic Disorders

Background:

  • Obesity in children is a growing concern.
  • Insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
  • Sleep disturbances are common in obese children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between sleep duration, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and insulin resistance markers in obese children.
  • To identify specific sleep parameters linked to metabolic dysfunction.

Main Methods:

  • Forty obese children underwent polysomnography, oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT), and fasting lipid panels.
  • Insulin resistance indices (HOMA-IR, WBISI) and insulin secretion (IGI) were calculated.
  • Comparison of insulin resistance markers based on polysomnogram findings.

Main Results:

  • Shorter sleep duration correlated with higher fasting insulin, peak insulin, and HOMA-IR, and lower WBISI.
  • Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) was associated with higher triglyceride levels and HOMA-IR.
  • HOMA-IR was significantly correlated with age, sleep duration, and REM sleep percentage.

Conclusions:

  • Insulin resistance in obese children is significantly associated with both short sleep duration and OSAS.
  • Sleep quality and duration are critical factors in metabolic health for obese pediatric populations.
Abstract

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