Insufficient Sleep Is Associated with Obesity and Excessive Screen Time Amongst Ten-Year-Old Children in Sweden

This study investigated sleep, television, computer habits, and obesity in school-age children.

This was a cross-sectional self-report survey of 1260 children in grade 4 (mean age, 10.1) living in southern Sweden (49.1% boys). The heights and weights of 1097 (87.1%) of the children were recorded. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multiple logistic regression were employed.

The median length of self-reported sleep on weeknights was 9.5h. Approximately 40% of the children reported receiving <9h of sleep. The median bedtime was 9PM (21:00). On weekends, the median bedtime was 1 h later, and they delayed getting up by 1.5h. The median time spent watching TV and using a computer was 1 h each. The prevalence of being overweight (including obesity) was 18%. Insufficient sleep (<9h) was associated with being overweight, watching TV, or using a computer for two or more hours each day, difficulty falling asleep, and being tired at school.

School-age children who receive less sleep are more likely to be overweight and report excessive television and computer use. A strong and urgent need exists to highlight the importance of healthy sleep and media habits. It is challenging for pediatric nurses and school nurses to teach children and their families about healthy sleep and media habits.