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Published on: October 2, 2019
Epidemiological study of sleep habits among four-and-a-half-year-old children in Japan
Maki Ikeda1, Yoshitaka Kaneita, Shuji Kondo
1Division of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
This study surveyed 39,813 Japanese children aged four and a half, finding that 13.7% had less than 10 hours of sleep. Factors like screen time and maternal work hours impacted sleep duration.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Research
- Epidemiology
- Child Development
Background:
- Limited epidemiological data on young children's sleep habits in Japan.
- This study addresses the gap using representative samples of four-and-a-half-year-old children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the sleep habits of four-and-a-half-year-old children in Japan.
- To identify factors associated with sleep duration in this population.
Main Methods:
- Nationwide cross-sectional survey.
- Data collected via questionnaires completed by family members.
- Included personal characteristics, sleep habits, and lifestyle factors.
Main Results:
- Analyzed data from 39,813 children (74.3% collection rate).
- Mean total sleep duration: 10h 40m 30s; night sleep: 9h 53m; daytime nap: 46m 24s.
- 13.7% had <10h total sleep; 45.8% napped during the day.
- Shorter sleep linked to less populated areas, TV viewing, maternal work hours, and preschool attendance.
Conclusions:
- Childhood sleep habits are influenced by lifestyle factors.
- Parental lifestyle, including work hours, significantly impacts children's sleep duration.
- Interventions should consider the holistic lifestyle of both children and parents.
Background:
To date, only limited epidemiological data on the sleep habits of young children in Japan have been available. This study used representative samples to examine the sleep habits of four-and-a-half-year-old children in Japan.
Methods:
We used data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey. A member of each subject's family was asked to complete the questionnaire. The questionnaire included personal characteristics, sleep habits, and lifestyle.
Results:
The data for 39,813 subject children (collection rate: 74.3%) were analyzed. The mean value of total sleep duration, night-time sleep duration, and daytime napping duration was 10 h 40 min 30 s, 9 h 53 min 0 s, and 46 min 24 s, respectively. The prevalence of daytime napping was 45.8%. Those whose total sleep duration was less than 10h accounted for 13.7% of the sample. The factors associated with high odds ratios for shorter total sleep duration were: living in a less populated area, long hours spent watching television, longer maternal work hours, and attending preschool.
Conclusions:
In attempting to devise ways of improving the sleep habits of young children, the lifestyles of both the children and their parents must be considered.
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