Hart, C. N., Carskadon, M. A., Considine, R. V., Fava, J. L., Lawton, J., Raynor, H. A., ... & Wing, R. (2013). Changes in children’s sleep duration on food intake, weight, and leptin. Pediatrics, 132(6), e1473-e1480.

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Abstract

Objective

To examine the effect of experimental changes in children's sleep duration on self-reported food intake, food reinforcement, appetite-regulating hormones, and measured weight.

Methods

Using a within-subjects, counterbalanced, crossover design, 37 children, 8 to 11 years of age (27% overweight/obese) completed a 3-week study. Children slept their typical amount at home for 1 week and were then randomized to either increase or decrease their time in bed by 1.5 hours per night for 1 week, completing the alternate schedule on the third week. Primary outcomes were dietary intake as assessed by 24-hour dietary recalls, food reinforcement (ie, points earned for a food reward), and fasting leptin and ghrelin. The secondary outcome was child weight.

Results

Participants achieved a 2 hour, 21 minute difference in the actigraph defined sleep period time between the increase and decrease sleep conditions (P < .001). Compared with the decrease sleep condition, during the increase condition, children reported consuming an average of 134 kcal/day less (P < .05), and exhibited lower fasting morning leptin values (P < .05). Measured weights were 0.22 kg lower during the increase sleep than the decrease sleep condition (P < .001). There were no differences in food reinforcement or in fasting ghrelin.

Conclusions

Compared with decreased sleep, increased sleep duration in school-age children resulted in lower reported food intake, lower fasting leptin levels, and lower weight. The potential role of sleep duration in pediatric obesity prevention and treatment warrants further study.

MeSH Terms
    Actigraphy
    Appetite Regulation/physiology*
    Biomarkers/blood
    Body Weight/physiology
    Child
    Choice Behavior
    Cross-Over Studies
    Diet Surveys
    Dietary Fats
    Eating/physiology*
    Eating/psychology
    Energy Intake/physiology*
    Female
    Ghrelin/blood*
    Humans
    Leptin/blood*
    Male
    Obesity/blood
    Obesity/etiology*
    Obesity/psychology
    Overweight/blood
    Overweight/etiology
    Overweight/psychology
    Reward
    Self Report
    Sleep Deprivation/blood
    Sleep Deprivation/complications*
    Time Factors

Substances
    Biomarkers
    Dietary Fats
    Ghrelin
    Leptin