Association between sleep duration and dietary patterns among finnish pre-schoolers

Abstract

According to the results obtained in the present study, it could be concluded that: 1. Sleep length during the whole week, during the weekdays and weekend is inversely associated with a sweet dietary pattern consumption. On the other hand, sleep length both during the whole week and the weekdays is positively associated with a higher intake of healthy foods. 2. Girls tend to have a higher consumption of sweet foods the less they sleep, during the weekdays and the whole week. Whereas in general they are more likely to follow a healthy dietary pattern the longer the sleeping hours. Such associations do not seem to be present among boys. 3. There do not seem to exist differences between sleep length and dietary patterns when considering different socio-economic backgrounds among children from pre-schools in Finland. However, the literature research and the obtained results highlight the fact that, when talking together about sleep and diet, we are still on a narrow piece of terra ferma in a wide sea of the unknown.