Sleep differences in one-year-old children were related to obesity risks based on their parents' weight according to baseline longitudinal study data.

AIM: Parental obesity is the predominant risk factor for child obesity. We compared sleep in one-year-old children with different obesity risks, based on parental weight, and explored associations with weight, parental sleep and family factors.

METHODS: Baseline data from 167 families participating in a longitudinal obesity prevention programme was used. Sleep patterns were compared between groups with high and low obesity risks, based on parental weight, and associations between child sleep and weight status, family obesity risk and parental sleep were explored. Sleep was assessed using child sleep diaries and standard parental questionnaires.

RESULTS: Later bedtime, longer sleep onset latency and lower sleep efficiency were observed among children in the high-risk group. Child sleep onset latency was associated with the family obesity risk (β = 0.25, p = 0.001), child bedtime with both maternal (β = 0.33, p < 0.01) and paternal bedtime (β = 0.22, p < 0.05) and child sleep efficiency with maternal sleep quality (β = 0.20, p < 0.01). The child's bedtime was weakly associated with their body mass index (β = 0.17, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Sleep differed between one-year-old children with high or low obesity risks, based on their parents' body mass index, and was associated with the family obesity risk and parental sleep. The child's bedtime was weakly associated with their weight status.