TY - JOUR
T1 - A tendency toward evening chronotype associates with less healthy diet among preschoolers
T2 - cross-sectional findings from the DAGIS study
AU - Abdollahi, Anna M.
AU - Li, Xinyue
AU - Merikanto, Ilona
AU - Vepsäläinen, Henna
AU - Lehto, Reetta
AU - Rahkola, Jenna
AU - Nissinen, Kaija
AU - Kanerva, Noora
AU - Roos, Eva
AU - Erkkola, Maijaliisa
PY - 2024/4/20
Y1 - 2024/4/20
N2 - Study Objectives: Evidence suggests that adolescents and adults with a later chronotype have poorer sleep habits and are more susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, but little is known about these associations in younger children. The objective of the study was to (1) identify and compare individual chronotype tendencies among preschool-aged children and (2) investigate associations of sleep dimensions and chronotype with diet. Methods: Participants were 636 3-6 years old (mean ± SD age: 4.74 ± 0.89 years, 49% girls) preschoolers from the cross-sectional Increased Health and Well-Being in Preschoolers (DAGIS) study in Finland. Sleep duration, sleep variability (in duration and midpoint), social jetlag, and midsleep on weekends adjusted for sleep debt (MSWEadj) were measured with 7-day actigraphy. Morning, intermediate, and evening chronotype tendencies were defined based on the lowest and highest 10th percentile cutoffs of MSWEadj. Food, energy, and macronutrient intake were assessed from 3-day records. Associations between sleep dimensions and diet were assessed with regression models. Results: MSWEadj was 1:13 ± 14 minutes for morning (n = 64), 2:25 ± 28 minutes for intermediate (n = 560), and 3:38 ± 15 minutes for evening (n = 64) chronotype tendency. Children with an evening chronotype tendency had greater social jetlag and sleep variability. Having an evening chronotype tendency was associated with higher added sugar, higher sugary food consumption, and lower vegetable consumption compared to intermediate tendency types. A later chronotype (MSWEadj) was associated with higher sugary food consumption, as well as lower vegetable and fiber intake. Sleep duration, social jetlag, and sleep variability were not associated with diet. Conclusions: Several less healthy sleep and diet behaviors were observed among children with later chronotypes. Future public health interventions aimed towards children would benefit from taking into account chronotype. © The Author(s) 2024.
AB - Study Objectives: Evidence suggests that adolescents and adults with a later chronotype have poorer sleep habits and are more susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, but little is known about these associations in younger children. The objective of the study was to (1) identify and compare individual chronotype tendencies among preschool-aged children and (2) investigate associations of sleep dimensions and chronotype with diet. Methods: Participants were 636 3-6 years old (mean ± SD age: 4.74 ± 0.89 years, 49% girls) preschoolers from the cross-sectional Increased Health and Well-Being in Preschoolers (DAGIS) study in Finland. Sleep duration, sleep variability (in duration and midpoint), social jetlag, and midsleep on weekends adjusted for sleep debt (MSWEadj) were measured with 7-day actigraphy. Morning, intermediate, and evening chronotype tendencies were defined based on the lowest and highest 10th percentile cutoffs of MSWEadj. Food, energy, and macronutrient intake were assessed from 3-day records. Associations between sleep dimensions and diet were assessed with regression models. Results: MSWEadj was 1:13 ± 14 minutes for morning (n = 64), 2:25 ± 28 minutes for intermediate (n = 560), and 3:38 ± 15 minutes for evening (n = 64) chronotype tendency. Children with an evening chronotype tendency had greater social jetlag and sleep variability. Having an evening chronotype tendency was associated with higher added sugar, higher sugary food consumption, and lower vegetable consumption compared to intermediate tendency types. A later chronotype (MSWEadj) was associated with higher sugary food consumption, as well as lower vegetable and fiber intake. Sleep duration, social jetlag, and sleep variability were not associated with diet. Conclusions: Several less healthy sleep and diet behaviors were observed among children with later chronotypes. Future public health interventions aimed towards children would benefit from taking into account chronotype. © The Author(s) 2024.
KW - added sugar intake
KW - circadian misalignment
KW - fruit and vegetable consumption
KW - irregular sleep
KW - sleep-wake rhythm
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85193382473
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85193382473&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae026
DO - 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae026
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
C2 - 38737796
SN - 2632-5012
VL - 5
JO - SLEEP Advances
JF - SLEEP Advances
IS - 1
M1 - zpae026
ER -