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Familial risk moderates the association between sleep and zBMI in children

Erika J Bagley1, Mona El-Sheikh

  • 1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5214, USA. ejb0009@auburn.edu

Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|May 24, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Familial risk factors moderate the link between children's sleep quantity and quality and their body mass index (zBMI). Poor sleep particularly impacts zBMI in children with higher family risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric health
  • Sleep science
  • Obesity research

Background:

  • Childhood obesity is a significant public health concern.
  • Sleep quantity and quality are increasingly recognized as factors influencing health outcomes.
  • Familial risk factors may play a role in the relationship between sleep and body mass index (zBMI).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the moderating effect of familial risk factors on the association between actigraphy-measured sleep (quantity and quality) and sex- and age-standardized body mass index (zBMI) in children.

Main Methods:

  • A sample of 124 boys and 104 girls (mean age 10.41 years) participated.
  • Children wore actigraphs for one week to measure sleep.
  • Height and weight were measured to calculate zBMI, with familial risk factors assessed.

Main Results:

  • Sleep duration (minutes) significantly predicted children's zBMI.
  • Both sleep duration and sleep efficiency interacted with family risk in predicting zBMI.
  • The negative impact of poor sleep on zBMI was more pronounced in children with higher familial risk.

Conclusions:

  • The relationship between poor sleep and elevated zBMI is not uniform across all children.
  • Familial and contextual factors are crucial considerations when examining the link between sleep and childhood zBMI.
Abstract

Keywords:
childrenobesityrisksleep

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