The Relationship Between Sleep Problems, Nutrition Habits and Anthropometric Measurements of School Children

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between school children’s sleep problems and their nutrition habits and anthropometric measurements. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 484 children aged 7-14 years attending three primary schools and three secondary schools in the city center of Muğla province. Data were collected using the child data form and the child sleeping habit questionnaire. The obtained results were analyzed using Student’s t-test, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: It was determined that 72.9% of the children participating in this study had sleep problems, among which 83% of the underweight and normal weight children and 17% of the overweight and obese children had sleep problems. It was determined that children who ate or drank drinks in the last two hours before going to sleep had more sleep problems (p<0.05). There was a low level of positive and significant correlation between body mass index (BMI) and sleep duration and parasomnia, waist circumference and sleep duration, and neck circumference and sleep duration and parasomnia. Conclusion: In this study, no difference was found between the sleep problems of children who consumed healthy or unhealthy food, whereas those who ate close to sleep or consumed liquid had more sleep problems. While children’s BMI, waist circumference and neck circumference increased, their sleep duration also increased. More parasomnia was observed in children with higher BMI and neck circumference.

Keywords

• sleep
• sleep problem
• nutrition
• child