Abstract:
Background: Childhood obesity prevalence is rising both worldwide and in New Zealand. The 2011/2012 New Zealand Health Survey found that childhood obesity in New Zealand had risen from 8% to 10% between 2006/2007 and 2011/2012. Obesity in childhood is associated with poor health outcomes and the earlier development of related chronic diseases. Obesity is influenced by a number of behavioural and lifestyle factors. Evidence is emerging of a link between both eating frequency and sleep duration and obesity. These factors warrant further investigation to inform obesity prevention strategies. Aim The aim of this thesis was to review the evidence of an association between daily eating frequency and obesity as well as between sleep duration and obesity, in children and adolescents. Methods Systematic reviews were conducted to examine the level of evidence of an association between eating frequency and obesity, and between sleep duration and obesity. Data collected as part of the 2008/2009 National Survey of Children and Young People’s Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviours in New Zealand was used to examine the association between 24 hour eating frequency and obesity and 24 hour sleep duration and obesity in a sample of New Zealand children and adolescents, aged 10 to 18 years. Results Systematic Reviews: review of the evidence pointed to a modest inverse association between both eating frequency and obesity, and between sleep duration and obesity in children and adolescents. Analysis: In this sample of New Zealand children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years, 24 hour eating frequency was inversely associated with obesity. Participants who ate two or fewer times per day had an adjusted odds ratio of 3.6 for obesity, in comparison to those who ate four or more times per day. In this study, no significant association was found between 24 hour sleep duration and obesity. Conclusion: This study showed that a higher meal frequency may be protective against obesity, and that eating at least four to five times a day should be promoted to children and adolescents and their families. Although no evidence of a sleep duration-obesity link was found in this study, previous evidence suggests an association. The importance of adequate, good quality sleep should be promoted to children, adolescents and their families.