Sleep Duration and Timing in Relation to BMI and Readiness to Change Lifestyle Behaviors: Results From a Pediatric Weight Management Clinic

Associations between sleep, body mass index (BMI), and readiness to engage in lifestyle changes are not well understood for adolescents attending weight management clinics. We conducted a medical chart review of 99 adolescents/young adults aged 13 to 20 years attending the intake visit for a weight management clinic (average BMI = 41.79 [SD = 9.77]). Linear and logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between sleep duration and sleep midpoint (median of bedtime and wake time) with continuous BMI and dichotomous readiness to change variables, adjusting for relevant confounders. Longer weekend sleep duration and later weekday sleep timing were each associated with higher confounder-adjusted BMI (beta = 1.41 higher BMI/h of sleep with 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.24, 2.57 and beta = 1.28 higher BMI/h later sleep with 95% CI = 0.003, 2.55). Adolescents with shorter sleep duration indicated lower readiness to alter food amounts, and adolescents with later sleep timing were less willing to alter food choices and sleep habits.