J Sleep Med.  2015 Dec;12(2):39-46. 10.13078/jsm.15008.

Gender Differences in the Relationship between Social Jet Lag, Depression, and Obesity in Korean Children and Adolescents

• Ryu HR
• Kim IY
• Suh S

• KMID: 2223617
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13078/jsm.15008

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
A majority of South Korean adolescents experience chronic sleep-deprivation due to social jet lag. In this study, we investigated gender differences in the relationship between social jet lag, depression, and obesity in Korean children and adolescents.
METHODS
Our sample consisted of 4,380 adolescents (elementary school cohort n=2,141, middle school cohort n=2,239) who participated in the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey. In order to analyze the gender differences in the relationship between sleep time difference, obesity and depression, t-test and chi-square test were utilized.
RESULTS
Both cohorts revealed that the difference in weekday/weekend sleep duration (2.19+/-1.42 vs. 1.68+/-1.36, p<0.001) and depression levels (20.77+/-6.29 vs. 18.87+/-6.06, p<0.001) was significantly higher in girls than boys. However, body mass index was higher in boys than girls (20.86+/-3.42 vs. 20.04+/-2.51, p<0.001). Chi-square test revealed there was a significant difference between gender and weekday/weekend sleep discrepancy group (cutoff >2 hours). Both elementary school [chi2 (1)=8.73, p<0.05] and middle school cohorts [chi2 (1)=61.29, p<0.001] showed significant gender differences.
CONCLUSIONS
There were especially more girls who reported a discrepancy of 2 or more hours of weekday/weekend sleep duration. In summary, intervention for social jet lag may be important to consider in adolescents.

Keyword

Social jet lag; Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey; Depression; Obesity

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Body Mass Index
Child*
Cohort Studies
Depression*
Female
Humans
Obesity*