Association of dietary patterns with circadian preference, sleep and personality in high school students

The Effect of Personality on Chrononutrition during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Qatar

The COVID-19 lockdown has had a significant impact on people's lives worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the effect of personality on chrononutrition during the COVID-19 lockdown. Using a cross-sectional design, a convenient sample of 543 adults in Qatar completed an online questionnaire using validated tools to assess personality and chrononutrition behaviors during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Participants scoring high in openness were more likely to eat at night (mean difference (MD) = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10, 0.72) compared to those scoring high in agreeableness, while those scoring high in extraversion and openness had a shorter eating window (MD = -76.6, 95%CI: -146.3, -6.93 and MD = -29.8, 95%CI: -56.5, -3.01, respectively). Participants high in extraversion had longer evening latency (MD = 66.3, 95%CI: 25.4, 107.3) and evening eating (MD = -62.0, 95%CI: -114.0, -9.0) compared those high in agreeableness. Participants high in conscientiousness showed evidence of first eating event misalignment during the weekend (MD = 22.0, 95%CI: 0.15, 43.9) and last eating event misalignment during weekdays (MD = -27.8, 95%CI: -47.3, -8.41) compared to those high in agreeableness. Lastly, participants high in openness showed evidence of eating window misalignment during the weekend (MD = 30.6, 95%CI: 5.01, 56.2). This study suggests that personality traits can inform personalized nutritional approaches when aiming for healthy habits during unexpected periods, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is the relationship between obesity and new circadian rhythm parameters in Turkish children and adolescents? A case-control study

BACKGROUND

Although the relationship between circadian rhythm parameters and obesity in children and adolescents is recognized, there are few studies on this topic. The concept of sleep-corrected social jetlag (SJLsc) has been formulated recently, but its relationship with childhood obesity has not yet been established. Therefore, we thought that SJL might play an important role in the etiology of obesity. Accordingly, we aimed to compare circadian rhythm parameters between obese and normal-weight children and adolescents.

METHODS

Seventy-nine obese and eighty-two normal-weight children and adolescents aged between 8 and 17 years participated in this case-control study, which took place in the Mardin province of Turkey. Data were collected with a sociodemographic information form, the Childhood Chronotype Questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements.

RESULTS

The average ages of the obese participants and controls were 12.3 ± 2.3 and 12.4 ± 2.2 years, respectively. Obese young people had greater evening preference, longer sleep debt duration, SJL duration and SJLsc duration, and higher Morningness-Eveningness Scale (MeScale) scores; and shorter mean sleep duration (p<0.005). In regression analyses, BMI z scores were significantly correlated with all circadian rhythm parameters, except SJLsc duration, while WC z scores were significantly correlated with all circadian rhythm parameters, except mean sleep duration. After adjustment, the high MeScale scores (OR: 1.142, p<0.05) and the presence of psychiatric disorder in the mother (OR: 15.075, p<0.05) were associated with obesity.

CONCLUSIONS

Circadian rhythm parameters can play an important role in the etiology of obesity. Future studies with larger samples and fewer confounding factors are needed to clarify the etiological factors.

Sleep Quality and Duration in European Adolescents (The AdolesHealth Study): A Cross-Sectional, Quantitative Study

Sleep is a vital element of adolescents' overall health; it influences their body and mind and thus affects their quality of life. Adequate sleep quality and duration are essential for maintaining optimal metabolic health and lowering the risk of developing several medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease. The current study aimed to assess the perceived sleep quality and duration of 1717 European adolescents from three different European countries (Spain, Iceland and Estonia) aged 13- to 16-years (900 boys, 817 girls) using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to examine differences between groups and two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze city and age differences. The probability of having poor sleep quality and duration was calculated by Odd-Ratio (OR). Our study found poor sleep quality in 44% of the boys and 53% of the girls, whereas 68% and 69%, respectively did not get the recommended hours of sleep (i.e., 8-10 h). No difference was found between adolescents from Estonia, Iceland and Spain regarding sleep duration. In contrast, Spanish and Estonian adolescents reported higher probabilities of having poor sleep quality. Finally, girls had a significantly higher probability of poor sleep quality than boys.