The Association Between Short Sleep Duration and Body Mass Index Among South Korean Children and Adolescents. (April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Park, Sunhee
• Is Part Of: Journal of school nursing. Volume 29:Number 2(2013)
• Page Start: 142
• Page End: 150
• Publication Date: 2013-04
• Subjects: children -- adolescents -- sleep duration -- body mass index -- weight gain -- obesity; School health services -- Periodicals; School nursing -- Periodicals; 610.73
• DOI: 10.1177/1059840512450582
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1059-8405

Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between sleep duration and body mass index (BMI) in two South Korean samples: children and adolescents. Nationally representative secondary data (i.e., the Korean Survey on the Obesity of Youth and Children) collected in 2009 were analyzed ( N = 2, 499 for children and N = 7, 431 for adolescents). Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were implemented to examine BMI levels depending on sleep duration. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to explore the existence of a strong association between sleep duration and BMI z score after controlling for other factors. In both samples, sleep length had a reverse linear relationship with BMI z score, and shorter sleep duration was significantly associated with an increase in BMI z score. School nurses should take note of the strong association between sleep duration and BMI for more effective weight control in children and adolescence.