Do insomnia and/or sleep disturbances predict the onset, relapse or worsening of depression in community and clinical samples of children and youth? Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

[Relationship between diet, nutritional aspects and sleep quality in a pediatric population]

Introduction

The relationship between diet and sleep has been studied in adults. However, there is little evidence in the pediatric population. The objective of this review was to analyze in a narrative way the relationship between diet, some nutritional aspects and sleep quality in population under 14 years. A quick review was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed) and Cochrane with a search strategy combining MeSH terms and keywords. Studies were selected to estimate diet and evaluate nutritional status and sleep in children using different tools. The risk of bias from the 14 selected studies was determined with validated tools (AMSTAR 2, Newcastle Ottawa scale [NOS] and Risk of Bias [Rob2]). Adherence to some dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean, high consumption of fruits and vegetables, tryptophan intake or substitution of saturated fatty acids by unsaturated fats were associated with better sleep quality. The consumption of ultra-processed products, the "unhealthy fast food" or the high intake of simple sugars hinder an adequate rest. On the other hand, an association between a high body mass index and lack of sleep was observed in young people under 14. In conclusion, the collected studies showed a significant association between some dietary patterns, food groups and nutrients with sleep quality. "Unhealthy" dietary factors were associated with poorer sleep quality. However, healthier and recommended habits and diets were associated with improved sleep hygiene. On the other hand, the lack of hours of rest in the youth population increases height, weight and BMI. Further research is needed in this direction.

Sleep habits and sleep problems associated with depressive symptoms in school-age children

PROBLEM

Sleep disturbance is a characteristic symptom of depression, but it is also a problem in itself related to the severity of this illness. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine sleep habits and sleep problems associated with increased depressive symptoms in children.

METHODS

The sample included 524 children equally distributed by gender (51.1% female), with an average age of 10.29 (SD = 1.34) years. The administered instruments were the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI; Cronbach α = 0.82) and a Sleep Habits and Sleep Problems Questionnaire (α = 0.91).

FINDINGS

The mean score for the CDI was 12.51 (SD = 6.74) and 20% presented symptoms of depression. The linear regression model showed that sleep habits associated with the increase in symptoms of depression were: little sleep, hours of sleep during the week, and wake-up time on weekdays. In the same model, the associated sleep problems were: nocturnal awakenings, nightmares, and difficulty waking up. The presence of these sleep habits and sleep problems increased the score from 2.07 to 13.50 points on the CDI scale.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms increase with the presence of sleep habits related to sleep deprivation and sleep problems related to parasomnias in school-age children.