Association Between Short Sleep Duration and Obesity Among South Korean Adolescents

Short sleep duration and obesity are common health concerns in youth. This study of South Korean adolescents explores the association between the two conditions analyzing secondary data from the 2007 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey. The sample is representative of the South Korean adolescent population (N = 73,836). For data analysis, analysis of variance, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used. Findings indicated that (a) sleep duration is inversely associated with levels of body mass index, F(4, 72654) = 240.07, p < .0001, and risks for overweight and obesity, χ(2)(4, 72659) = 27.41, p < .0001; and (b) after controlling for obesity-related factors, reduced sleep is strongly associated with a greater risk for overweight and obesity, OR = 0.94, p < .0001. Given the important link between sleep and obesity, health professionals should consider sleep habits as a significant factor in obesity-related problems of youth.