Diet and Sleep (Child and Adolescent)

The aim of this 2021 study was to find out if sleeping fewer hours per night can influence the dietary habits of adolescents. The 93 adolescents recruited were allowed either a 6.5-hour or 9.5-hour sleeping window for a duration of 5 days. The crossover design meant that subjects placed in one condition group were later exposed to the other condition. Within each study condition, adolescents completed three dietary recalls that recorded the types, amount, and timing of food intake. Along with the average intake of kilocalories, carbohydrates, fat, protein, and added sugars, the glycemic load of foods, and servings of specific types of foods, the study paid attention to the timing of kilocalorie and macronutrient consumption. The adolescents permitted to sleep 9.5 hours (the healthy sleep group) slept 2 hours and 20 minutes longer than the short-sleep group. Compared to the healthy sleep group, the short-sleep group were found to ingest more grams of carbohydrates, added sugars, foods higher in glycemic load, and sweet drinks. Further, the adolescents in the short-sleep group ate fewer servings of fruits or vegetables than those in the healthy sleep group. In terms of consuming kilocalories, fats, and carbohydrates, the differences tended to emerge after 9pm. In summary, this data suggests that adolescents who have inadequate sleep have dietary patterns that may negatively affect their weight and cardio metabolism.