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. 2012 Feb;7(1):53-64.
doi: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2011.00008.x. Epub 2011 Dec 1.

Relation between sleep duration and BMI varies by age and sex in youth age 8-19

A Storfer-Isser  1 , S R Patel, D C Babineau, S Redline
Affiliations

Relation between sleep duration and BMI varies by age and sex in youth age 8-19

A Storfer-Isser et al. Pediatr Obes. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (i) compare the strength of associations between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) in middle childhood, and early and late adolescence; (ii) determine whether sleep duration in middle childhood predicts BMI in early or late adolescence; and (iii) examine the consistency of these associations by sex.

Methods: Subjects included 313 children/adolescents aged 8-19 participating in a longitudinal cohort study on sleep and health. Participants were assessed at three time points approximately 4 years apart: ages 8-11, 12-15 and 16-19. BMI z-score (BMIz) was calculated using age and sex normative data from the Centers for Disease Control. Sleep duration was reported by the parent (ages 8-15) or the adolescent (ages 16-19).

Results: [corrected] Half of the participants were male and 79% were Caucasian. Sleep duration had a negative linear association with BMIz for boys but not girls, and the magnitude of this association decreased with age. Sleep duration at age 8-11 predicted BMIz in early and late adolescence for boys but not girls, and associations were largely attenuated after adjusting for BMIz at age 8-11. The strongest predictor of adolescent BMIz was BMIz at age 8-11 for both boys and girls.

Conclusion: We conclude that the association between sleep duration and BMIz varies by sex and age, with stronger associations in boys and in middle childhood compared with adolescence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest with the material presented in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Figure 1a: Association between sleep duration and BMIz in boys age 8–19. Figure 1b: Association between sleep duration and BMIz in girls age 8–19.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Figure 1a: Association between sleep duration and BMIz in boys age 8–19. Figure 1b: Association between sleep duration and BMIz in girls age 8–19.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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