The association between sleep duration, sleep quality, and food consumption in adolescents: A cross-sectional study using the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between sleep duration, sleep quality and food consumption among adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Data from the 2014 and 2015 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were used. PARTICIPANTS: Participants aged 12–18 years (n=118 462 (59 431 males and 59 031 females)) were selected. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Sleep duration, sleep quality and the frequencies of fruits, soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle, confectionaries, vegetables and milk consumption. RESULTS: Short sleep durations (<6 hours) were associated with higher soft drinks and confectionaries intake than longer sleep durations (9+ hours) (adjusted ORs (AORs) (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soft drinks: 1.73 (1.57 to 1.91) and confectionaries: 1.32 (1.20 to 1.46); p<0.001). Poor sleep quality, with 7–8 hours of sleep, was associated with a lower intake of fruits, vegetables and milk (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for fruits: 0.71 (0.65 to 0.77); vegetables: 0.66 (0.58 to 0.75); and milk: 0.80 (0.74 to 0.86); each p<0.001), and higher intake of soda, soft drinks, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries (AORs (95% CIs) for ≥5 times a week for soda: 1.55 (1.40 to 1.70); soft drinks: 1.58 (1.43 to 1.73); fast food: 1.97 (1.65 to 2.35); instant noodle: 1.55 (1.37 to 1.76); and confectionaries: 1.30 (1.18 to 1.43); each p<0.001) than good sleep quality of the same duration. CONCLUSION: Short sleep durations and poor sleep quality might be associated with higher consumption of unhealthier foods, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, instant noodle and confectionaries, and associated with lower consumption of fruits, vegetables and milk.