Sleep, Physical Activity, and Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight/Obese Adolescents

Abstract

Childhood obesity is currently at its highest. This is a concern due to the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and dyslipidemia. Previous findings suggest an association between sleep and obesity, as well as sleep and metabolic health. This study examined the relationship between objectively measured sleep and physical activity (PA), as well as sleep and cardiometabolic health in overweight/obese adolescents recruited from lifestyle clinics focused on behavioural change. Adolescents (N= 79, 10-17 yrs old) were given a Fitbit activity monitor to wear for 8 days and 7 nights to objectively track their sleep and physical activity. Exposure sleep variables included sleep duration, sleep latency, and sleep fragmentation. PA outcomes were step count and very active minutes. Body fat was measured with bioelectric impedance. Blood pressure z-score (normalized for age, gender, and height) and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were measured as well. PA (step count) was weakly associated with sleep duration (p=.087) after controlling for age, gender, adiposity, and wear time. Sleep latency predicted insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) after adjusting for age and gender (p=.047). This was a weak relationship after adjusting for age, gender, and body fat (p=.092) Sleep variables did not significantly correlate with blood pressure z-scores. It may be beneficial to target sleep in overweight/obese youth in lifestyle clinics in order to improve PA levels and cardiometabolic health.