Associations between sleep characteristics, chronotype and body mass index among Chinese college freshmen

ABSTRACT

Research indicates that sleep problem is a behavioral risk factor of obesity. However, few research have applied a multi-dimensional approach to investigate the relationship between sleep health and adiposity. Therefore, the current study aimed to examine the associations of sleep characteristics (duration, quality) and chronotype with overweight/obesity as measured by body mass index. Data were obtained from 2014 college students from the Dali University in the Yunnan province of China in the year 2021. Sleep characteristics and chronotype were measured using self-reported questionnaires. The presence of overweight/obesity was assessed by anthropometric measurements. Multiple logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline hazard models were established to examine associations between sleep characteristics, chronotype and adiposity. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and other obesity-related behavioral risk factors, evening type was positively associated with overweight/obesity, and an L-shaped dose-effect relationship was observed between chronotype scores and the presence of overweight/obesity. However, sleep duration and quality were not associated with the presence of overweight/obesity in the logistic regression models and restrictive cubic splines models. This study indicated that Chinese college students who had the evening chronotype were more likely to be affected by overweight/obesity. Chronotype as an important dimension of sleep health should be incorporated in obesity intervention programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Sleep duration
• sleep quality
• chronotype
• obesity
• freshman

Acknowledgments

We frankly thank all participants and the schools involved in the survey, as well as other staff members on the scene.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical approval

The study was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Institutional Review at Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [82160204]. The funder had no role in study.