U.S. Adolescent Rest-Activity patterns: insights from functional principal component analysis (NHANES 2011-2014)

Area of Science:

• Chronobiology
• Adolescent Health
• Sociodemographics

Background:

• Suboptimal rest-activity patterns in adolescence are linked to adverse adult health outcomes.
• Understanding sociodemographic influences on adolescent rest-activity rhythms is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and rest-activity rhythms in adolescents.
• To identify specific subgroups of adolescents who may benefit from interventions aimed at improving rest-activity patterns.

Main Methods:

• Utilized cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014.
• Derived rest-activity profiles from 7-day accelerometry data using functional principal component analysis.
• Employed multiple linear regression to assess associations between participant characteristics and rest-activity profiles, with separate analyses for weekdays and weekends.

Main Results:

• Identified four distinct rest-activity profiles: High amplitude, Early activity window, Early activity peak, and Prolonged activity/reduced rest window.
• Found significant associations between rest-activity profiles and age, sex, race/ethnicity, and household income.
• Older adolescents, girls, certain racial/ethnic minorities, and those with lower income exhibited distinct rest-activity patterns.

Conclusions:

• Characterized key rest-activity profiles in US adolescents.
• Demonstrated that demographic and socioeconomic factors significantly shape adolescent rest-activity behaviors.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering individual characteristics when addressing adolescent sleep and activity patterns.