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Association between sleep duration and overweight: the importance of parenting

E de Jong1, T Stocks, T L S Visscher

  • 1Research Centre for the Prevention of Overweight, VU University Amsterdam/Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Zwolle, The Netherlands. e.de.jong@windesheim.nl

International Journal of Obesity (2005)
|July 25, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Short sleep duration is linked to childhood overweight, especially in boys. Factors like screen time and late bedtimes contribute to insufficient sleep, highlighting the need for parental guidance in establishing healthy sleep habits.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Childhood overweight is a growing concern with unclear links to sleep duration.
  • Determinants of sleep duration in children require further investigation.
  • Understanding factors influencing sleep is crucial for addressing overweight prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between sleep duration and childhood overweight, adjusting for family and behavioral factors.
  • To identify key determinants of short sleep duration in children.
  • To explore the relationship between sleep and competing activities.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 4072 children aged 4-13 years in the Netherlands.
  • Data collected via parental questionnaires on sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and sedentary behavior.
  • Statistical analyses included logistic and linear regression, adjusted for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Short sleep duration was significantly associated with overweight in 4-8-year-old boys, 9-13-year-old boys, and 9-13-year-old girls.
  • Determinants of short sleep included television viewing during meals, unrestricted candy access, low caregiver activity, and late bedtimes.
  • Short sleep duration correlated strongly with increased television and computer use.

Conclusions:

  • The link between sleep duration and overweight is not explained by socio-demographics or dietary habits.
  • Parental involvement is critical for promoting adequate sleep duration.
  • Enhancing parenting skills to provide structure may help increase sleep hours and prevent childhood overweight.
Abstract

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