Association between social jetlag and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in adolescents in Western Canada

BACKGROUND: Sleep debt is linked to poor health behaviours, and adolescents may be especially vulnerable to deficit from the mismatch of their late chronotype with socially determined sleep timing. We aimed to investigate the potential association between social jetlag and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption among adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 1031 adolescents (13–18 years) who participated in the population-based British Columbia Adolescent Substance Use Survey in 2012. Regression analysis using interaction terms estimated the associations between social jetlag (using self-reported weekday/weekends sleep times) and odds of SSB intake in girls and boys. RESULTS: On average, adolescents reported 1.59 (SD 0.73) hours of social jetlag, but girls had significantly more social jetlag (1.64) than boys (1.52). Most adolescents (84%) reported consuming SSBs, and significantly more boys (87%) than girls (81%); median SSB intake in boys was 1–2 times per week and in girls less than once per week. Significant differences in girls consuming any SSB were seen across levels of social jetlag. The odds of any SSB intake were significantly higher in adolescents with social jetlag between 1 and 2 h [odds ratio (OR): 1.6 (1.14–2.38)] and over 2 h [OR 1.87 (1.11–3.14)], compared with 1 h or less; associations were stronger and only significant in girls. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show social jetlag is a common sleep deficit that is associated with SSB intake in adolescents, particularly among teen girls.