Sleep and weight-related factors in youth: A systematic review of recent studies

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Behavioral Science
• Public Health

Background:

• The link between pediatric sleep and obesity is widely speculated but lacks robust, synthesized evidence.
• Previous reviews focused on body mass, not the behavioral mechanisms influencing weight.
• A need exists for systematic evaluation of sleep's impact on behaviors like diet and activity in youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review recent studies on pediatric sleep and weight-related behaviors.
• To identify literature gaps and methodological limitations in current research.
• To provide recommendations for future research directions in this field.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 86 articles published between 2012 and 2017.
• Included studies investigated sleep in relation to dietary intake, eating behavior, physical/sedentary activity, and appetite hormones.
• Screened over 4,300 articles for relevance.

Main Results:

• Findings on sleep and weight-related mechanisms were highly variable, with a high risk of bias noted in many studies.
• No consistent cross-sectional association was found between sleep duration and caloric intake.
• Shorter or later sleep was associated with increased sedentary and screen time.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence on the mechanisms linking pediatric sleep and obesity is inconsistent and methodologically limited.
• Variability in results is likely due to inconsistent methodologies, weak measurements, and a lack of longitudinal/experimental designs.
• Future research requires more rigorous methods to advance understanding of sleep's role in childhood weight management.