Abstract
Low-income Latino children are at high risk for obesity and associated comorbidities. Considering the health benefits of proper sleep habits and physical activity, understanding the patterns, or the relationship between these modifiable factors may help guide intervention strategies to improve overall health in this population. Thus, the purpose was to investigate bidirectional associations between physical activity and sleep among Latino children who are overweight/obese. Twenty-three children (boys, 70%; overweight, 17%; obese, 83%) (age 7.9 ± 1.4 years) wore activity monitors on their wrist for 6 consecutive days (comprising 138 total observations). Hierarchical linear modeling evaluated temporal associations between physical activity (light physical activity, LPA; moderate to vigorous activity, MVPA) and sleep (duration and efficiency). Although there was no association between MVPA and sleep (p > 0.05), daytime LPA was negatively associated with sleep duration that night (estimate ± SE = −10.77 ± 5.26; p = 0.04), and nighttime sleep efficiency was positively associated with LPA the next day (estimate ± SE = 13.29 ± 6.16; p = 0.03). In conclusion, increased LPA may decrease sleep duration that night, but increasing sleep efficiency may increase LPA the following day. Although further investigation is required, these results suggest that improving sleep efficiency may increase the level of physical activity reached among Latino children who are overweight/obese.
Highlights
Factors that influence the prevalence of obesity in children, include culture, environment, behaviors, and low socioeconomic status (SES), with some more difficult to alter than others [1]
Results of the hierarchical linear modeling indicated that daytime light physical activity (LPA) was a significant predictor of that night’s sleep duration, while nighttime sleep efficiency was a significant predictor of the day’s LPA (Table 2)
Those that slept with above-average efficiency, spent more time performing LPA the day
Summary
Factors that influence the prevalence of obesity in children, include culture, environment, behaviors, and low socioeconomic status (SES), with some more difficult to alter than others [1]. Latino children have some of the highest rates of obesity in the United States with disparities apparent early in life or in preschool years [2]. Modifiable factors, such as physical activity level, can be more addressed. Younger children (6–11 years) appear to exceed physical activity guidelines of at least 60 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), regardless of ethnicity and weight [3]. This is true for Latino children, who perform more MVPA than their white counterparts [3]. It is unknown how Latino children, who are overweight/obese, perform, and considering the important role of physical activity in decreasing obesity, it is critical to investigate the physical activity patterns in this high-risk group
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