Longitudinal Associations Between Breakfast Consumption, Sleep Duration and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Mental Health Research
• Nutritional Psychiatry

Background:

• Adolescence is a critical period for mental health development.
• Dietary habits and sleep patterns significantly influence adolescent well-being.
• Longitudinal data on the interplay between breakfast, sleep, and depression in adolescents is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal associations between breakfast consumption, sleep duration, and depressive symptoms in adolescents.
• To examine the predictive relationships and potential bidirectionality between these factors over time.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 2502 secondary school students in Shanghai, China.
• Data collected via baseline (T1) and follow-up (T2) surveys approximately 1.5 years apart.
• Assessment of depressive symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2-C); self-reported breakfast frequency and sleep duration.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of depressive symptoms rose from 15.31% to 18.47%, and insufficient sleep from 89.53% to 92.89%.
• Daily breakfast consumption decreased from 81.10% to 76.06% between T1 and T2.
• Daily breakfast consumption predicted lower depressive symptoms and longer sleep duration; sleep duration also predicted depressive symptoms, indicating a bidirectional relationship.

Conclusions:

• Declining daily breakfast consumption correlates with increasing depressive symptoms and insufficient sleep among adolescents.
• Consistent breakfast intake is a significant predictor of better mental health and adequate sleep duration in adolescents.
• The relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms is bidirectional, emphasizing the need for holistic interventions.