Is Chronotype Related to Eating Distractions Among Adolescents? The EHDLA Study

Screen-based distractions during meals are increasingly common during adolescence and have been linked to less healthy eating behaviors. Chronotype, an individual's circadian preference for morningness or eveningness, is associated with differences in alertness, self-regulation, and recreational screen use across the day, which may in turn influence susceptibility to distractions during meals. However, the relationship between chronotype and eating distraction behaviors remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study examined the association between chronotype and eating distraction behaviors in Spanish adolescents.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in 820 adolescents aged 12-17 years from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) project. Chronotype was assessed using the Morningness-Eveningness Scale for Children and classified as evening, intermediate, or morning type. Eating distractions were evaluated using a composite score that included eating lunch or dinner while watching television, using mobile devices or social networks during meals, and eating while standing. Associations were examined using ordinal regression models (proportional odds), with eveningness as the reference category; both unadjusted and adjusted models are reported, with adjustment for relevant sociodemographic and lifestyle covariates.

In adjusted ordinal regression models with eveningness as reference, morningness was related to lower odds of being in a higher eating distractions category (odds ratio [OR] = 0.53; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35-0.82; p = 0.004). Morningness was also associated with lower odds of a higher category of television viewing during meals (OR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.38-0.93; p = 0.024). No significant associations were identified for eating while using a phone or social networks or for eating while standing.

Chronotype was independently associated with eating distraction behaviors in Spanish adolescents, with evening types showing a less favorable pattern. These findings suggest that circadian preference may be relevant when addressing mealtime behaviors during adolescence and could help inform future health promotion strategies.