Relationship between sleep and body composition in healthy elementary school children: Fukushima Child Cohort Study

Yasuaki KUSUMOTO, Yoshinobu TANAKA, Hideto KANZAKI, Mieko YOKOZUKA, Masayuki HOSHI, Yoshitaka SHIBA, Hiroaki ABE, Eri TAKAHASHI, Yasuhiro ENDO, Kanako OKAZAKI, Akihiko ASAO
Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep habits /disturbances and body composition in healthy elementary school children.

Methods:

This study was a cross-sectional study. A total of 492 children from an elementary school in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan were included in this study. 407 students (6-12 years old, 193 males) were included in the analysis. Those enrolled in special needs classes, those who disagreed, those who were absent, and those with missing data were excluded. The Japanese Sleep Questionnaire for Elementary Schoolers (JSQ-ES) was used to assess sleep habits and disturbances. For the total score of JSQ-ES, the subjects were divided into two groups based on a cutoff score. For the nine factors of JSQ-ES, subjects were divided into two groups based on the 95th percentile scores. BF and MM were measured by Body composition scales (TANITA MC-780A-N). Grades were divided into two groups: lower grades (n=222) and upper grades (n=185). Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) were used to analyze the characteristics of body composition by JSQ-ES scores and grade, with gender as a covariate. Statistical significance was set at p 0.05. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Fukushima Medical University (Approval No. REC2023-029)

Results:

Ninety-two children (22.6%) exceeded the JSQ-ES cutoff score. There was a main effect of factors related to “sleep-disordered breathing” on BF: Mean ± standard deviation of BF was 20.8 ± 9.0% in the high-scoring group and 20.0 ± 9.7% in the low-scoring group. There was an interaction between “excessive daytime sleepiness” and grade on BF: Mean ± standard deviation of BF was 19.7 ± 6.1% in the high-scoring group and 17.9 ± 8.6% in the low-scoring group in the lower grades, 21.6 ± 9.1% in the high-scoring group and 22.3 ± 10.7% in the low-scoring group in the upper grades. There were no other main effects or interactions by JSQ-ES total score or scores of the nine factors.

Conclusion(s):

Children with sleep-disordered breathing were found to have higher body fat percentage. This was similar to the relationship between obesity and sleep apnea in adults. Excessive daytime sleepiness and body fat percentage tended to differ by grade level.

Implications:

In the prevention of obesity in children, the effects of sleep habits and disturbances should be considered.

Funding acknowledgements:
This work was unfunded.
Keywords:
elementary school children
sleep
body composition
Primary topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Second topic:
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors
Third topic:
Paediatrics
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
the Ethics Committee of Fukushima Medical University
Provide the ethics approval number:
REC2023-029
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

Back to the listing