PURPOSE: The current research aimed to investigate the connection between food insecurity and sleep issues among Spanish adolescents aged from 12 to 17 years from the (Region of Murcia, Spain).
METHODS: Data from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities Study, which included a sample of 836 adolescents (55.3% girls), were analyzed. Food insecurity was evaluated using the Child Food Security Survey Module in Spanish (CFSSM-S), while sleep-related problems were evaluated using the Bedtime problems, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Awakenings during the night, Regularity and duration of sleep, and Sleep-disordered breathing (BEARS) sleep screening tool. Generalized linear models were employed to explore the association between food insecurity and sleep-related issues.
RESULTS: Compared with their counterparts with food security, adolescents with food insecurity had greater probabilities of bedtime problems (24.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 16.9% to 33.0%, = 0.003), excessive daytime sleepiness (36.4%, 95% CI 27.5% to 46.3%, < 0.001), awakenings during the night (16.7%, 95% CI 10.8% to 25.1%, = 0.004), and any sleep-related problems (68.1%, 95% CI 57.5% to 77.1%, < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that food insecurity is related to greater sleep-related problems among adolescents. Implementing strategies to mitigate food insecurity may contribute to improved sleep health among adolescents, highlighting the importance of integrated public health interventions.
