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Processed Food Consumption and Sleep Quality in School-Aged Children: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study
Matilde Sousa Gomes1, Juliana Martins2,3,4, Ana Duarte2,3,4
1Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Porto, 4150-180 Porto, Portugal.
Insights
High intake of ultra-processed foods and sweet snacks is linked to poorer sleep quality in school-aged children. Reducing these dietary patterns may improve children's sleep habits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Sleep Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Dietary patterns significantly influence children's health and development.
- Processed food consumption is prevalent among school-aged children.
- Sleep quality is crucial for cognitive function and overall well-being in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between processed food intake and sleep quality in school-aged children.
- To identify specific dietary factors associated with sleep problems in this age group.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 137 school-aged children (mean age 7.9 years).
- Dietary intake assessed via 24-hour recalls, categorized using the NOVA system.
- Sleep quality evaluated using the Portuguese Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-PT).
Main Results:
- A positive association was found between sleep habits score and daily sweet snack consumption.
- Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (NOVA 4) correlated with increased odds of sleep problems.
- Increased intake of sweet snacks, especially during snack times, was linked to poorer sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Dietary patterns, particularly ultra-processed food and sweet snack consumption, are important factors affecting children's sleep quality.
- Interventions aimed at improving children's sleep should consider reducing intake of NOVA 4 foods and sweet snacks.
Objective:
This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between processed food consumption and sleep quality among school-aged children.
Methods:
Our sample consisted of 137 children, with 52.6% being girls with a mean age of 7.9 ± 1.2 years. Moreover, 40.2% of children had overweight and 35.9% had experienced sleep problems. Dietary intake was evaluated using two non-consecutive 24 h recalls, and foods were categorized according to the NOVA classification system. The amount of sweet snacks consumed, in grams, was recorded for each meal and throughout the day. Sleep quality was assessed using the Portuguese Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-PT).
Results:
The study found a significant and positive association between the sleep habits score and daily sweet snack consumption (B = 0.035; 95% CI: 0.011, 0.059). Additionally, there were higher odds of experiencing sleep problems in those children who consumed a higher percentage of energy from ultra-processed foods (OR: 1.043; 95% CI: 1.004, 1.084), higher total daily consumption of sweet snacks (OR: 1.016; 95% CI: 1.006, 1.026), particularly during morning and afternoon snack times (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.033).
Conclusions:
These findings underscore the importance of addressing dietary patterns on children's sleep quality. Future interventions should account for reducing NOVA 4 and sweet snack consumption in order to improve sleep quality.
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