The Impact of Sleep Improvement on Food Choices in Adolescents With Late Bedtimes.

PURPOSE: The aim was to investigate the effect of sleep improvement on desire for and intake of weight gain-promoting foods in adolescents with late bedtimes.

METHODS: A sample of 42 adolescents with late bedtimes was enrolled in an intervention designed to improve sleep. Their desire for and intake of food in the morning was assessed at before and after treatment.

RESULTS: Adolescents with earlier bedtimes at post-treatment relative to pretreatment increased their caloric intake of low glycemic index, fruit, and dairy foods at post-treatment. This effect was not observed in adolescents who did not improve their bedtime at post-treatment.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that advancing bedtimes earlier can improve breakfast choices, an important meal for obesity prevention during adolescence.