Preplanned Studies: Sleep Status Among Children and Adolescents 6-17 Years Old

The current study done by Yushu Zhang and colleagues (2023) used data from the China Nutrition and Health Surveillance of Children and Lactating Mothers in 2016-2017 to analyze the sleep patterns of children and adolescents aged 6-17.

The researchers found that approximately half of the adolescents aged 13-17 did not get the recommended amount of sleep on school days and over half overslept on weekends. More specifically, the results showed that about 13.3% of children aged 6-12 and 36.9% of adolescents aged 13-17 did not get the recommended amount of sleep on school days. In comparison, the proportions on weekends were 4.6% and 6.0% respectively, showing that individuals oversleep during this time.

Another interesting finding from the study was that children and adolescents in urban areas, males, and those with higher socio-economic status were more likely to have shorter sleep durations and irregular sleep patterns. On the other hand, children in rural areas or whose primary caregivers were not parents or grandparents slept longer. Additionally, adolescents tended to take more naps as they got older.

Overall, the study found that the sleep status among children and adolescents in China improved compared to previous years, but the problem of oversleeping on weekends was more prevalent among adolescents aged 13-17. These findings suggest that targeted interventions are necessary to increase awareness about the importance of sufficient sleep and good sleeping habits among children and adolescents in China, particularly among those in urban areas, males, and those with higher socio-economic status.

References:

Zhang, Y., Huang, Z., Zhang, M., Li, C., Zhao, Z., Zhang, X., Guan, Y., Mudoti, N. G., & Wang, L. (2023). Sleep status among children and adolescents aged 6-17 years – China, 2016-2017. China CDC Weekly, 5(1), 11-16. doi: 10.46234/ccdcw2023.003