An Investigation into Sleep Habits in Obese Children

Aim: This study aims to reveal the extent to which sleep habits differ between obese children and healthy children. Materıal And Method: In this study, 236 obese children and adolescents, aged 8-17, who we were followed up in our clinic, and 114 children and adolescents who applied to the child health and diseases outpatient clinic for various reasons participated. All participants in the present study underwent an assessment of sleep habits in children using face-to-face interviews. The evaluation included 33 questions regarding bedtimes, sleep behavior, instances of waking up during the night, getting up in the morning, and daytime sleepiness. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in age and gender characteristics between the patient and control groups. The sleep duration for obese children was 6.44±1.3 hours, compared to 6.31±1.29 hours in the control group (P=0.426). No statistical difference was observed in the components assessing sleep habits between the patient and control groups. Regarding the evaluation, only the obese patient group, no statistical difference was found between the sleep duration of girls and boys, respectively; 6.41±1.41, 6.5±1.07) (P=0.603). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that there are no significant differences in sleep habits between obese children and healthy children. However, in the literature, some studies reported that different parameters, such as age, pubertal status, timing of sleep and eating behaviors, and sleep duration (or restriction), can affect the relationship between sleep and obesity. Therefore, longitudinal and experimental studies with children are needed to determine the nature of the relationships between sleep and obesity in children.