RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND SLEEP IN SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM THE SAN MIGUEL COMMUNE, SANTIAGO, CHILE

Objective: To determine the association between sleep duration and obesity in school age children between 5 and 7 years old. Methods: One hundred fifty five children from schools in san Miguel town in Santiago of Chile participated in the study. Informed consent was obtained through their parents. Anthropometric variables were measured and a sleep questionnaire was applied. Results: Obesity was present in 19.3 % of the subjects. 45.1% of the sample slept less than the accepted recommendation for their age (<10 hours). Sleeping more than 10 hours/night, exercising, and not eating chocolate at night are associated factors for obesity (OR=0.7, 0.1 y 0.3 respectively), whereas sleeping less than 10 hours is an associated risk factor (OR=2.38). Conclusion: Sleeping less than the accepted recommended amount is an associated risk factor for obesity in this sample.