Wheaton, A. G., Perry, G. S., Chapman, D. P., & Croft, J. B. (2013). Self-reported sleep duration and weight-control strategies among U.S. high school students. Sleep, 36(8), 1139-45.

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Abstract

Study Objective

To determine if self-reported sleep duration was associated with weight-control behaviors among US high school students.

Design

National Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Setting

United States, 2007.

Participants

US high school students (N = 12,087).

Measurements

Students were asked if they had engaged in several weight-control behaviors during the 30 days before the survey to lose or maintain weight. Self-reported sleep duration categories included very short (≤ 5 h), short (6 or 7 h), referent moderate (8 or 9 h), and long (≥ 10 h). Sex-specific logistic regression analyses with race/ethnicity, grade, and body mass index category as covariates were conducted using SUDAAN to account for complex study design.

Results

Approximately half the students reported short sleep duration (51.8% of males and 54.3% of females), whereas very short sleep durations were reported by another 14.8% of males and 16.9% of females. Among males, very short sleepers were significantly (P < 0.05) more likely than moderate sleepers to report dieting (36.3% versus 26.1%), fasting (14.2% versus 4.3%), and purging (4.3% versus 1.1%) to lose or maintain weight during the 30 days before the survey. Among females, the respective very short, short, and moderate sleepers varied (P < 0.05) in dieting (59.9%, 55.0%, and 47.5% respectively), fasting (28.3%, 15.2%, and 10.3%, respectively), and taking diet pills (13.3%, 6.8%, and 4.3%, respectively). Prevalence of purging was significantly higher only for very short sleepers (12.3%, 6.0%, and 3.9%, respectively).

Conclusion

Self-reported short sleep duration was associated with dieting and three unhealthy weight-control behaviors in this population. If our findings are confirmed, intervention studies should be conducted to examine the effect of educational interventions.

MeSH Terms
    Adolescent
    Body Weight
    Diet, Reducing/psychology
    Diet, Reducing/statistics & numerical data
    Female
    Humans
    Male
    Self Report
    Sex Factors
    Sleep*
    Sleep Deprivation/epidemiology
    Sleep Deprivation/psychology
    Students/psychology
    Students/statistics & numerical data*
    Surveys and Questionnaires
    Time Factors
    United States/epidemiology
    Weight Reduction Programs/statistics & numerical data*