Sleep Duration and BMI Percentile in Adolescents: An Analysis of the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavioral Survey

Abstract

Sleep is increasingly gaining attention in the research literature for its role in body weight. Sleep deprivation can impact multiple aspects of metaregulation. This study examined the relationship between sleep duration and Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles, a common measure of weight status. Data from the 2013 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were analyzed for 9th to 12th grade boys and girls. Spearman Rho correlations were calculated on sleep deprivation and BMI percentiles. Significant indirect associations between sleep duration with BMI percentiles were found in high school boys but not girls. Longer sleep duration was associated with lower BMI percentiles in boys. Future research should consider non subjective measures of sleep deficits and disorders. The inclusion of additional YRBS questions targeting more aspects of sleep, such as sleep quality, is recommended.