Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate associations between sleep duration and food-related inhibitory control and food reward in adolescents aged 12-18. Potential moderating effects of physical activity and weight status on the association between sleep, inhibitory control, and food reward were also examined. To evaluate these associations, the study employed a two-phase crossover design in which participants spent either 5 hours per night (restricted sleep) or 9 hours per night (habitual sleep) in bed for 5 nights. Participants completed a food-related inhibitory control task and a questionnaire assessing for food reward on the 6th day of each study phase. Repeated measures analyses of variance examined the effect of sleep restriction on food-related inhibitory control and food reward, and explored the moderating impact of weight status and physical activity. Adolescents performed more poorly on a food-related inhibitory control task and have heightened food reward following sleep restriction. Though no differences were noted across weight status in performance of a food inhibitory control task, adolescents with overweight/obesity demonstrated heightened food reward. An interaction between sleep duration and weight status predicted food reward, indicated that normal-weight adolescents are more susceptible to heightened food reward following sleep restriction compared to overweight/obese adolescents. Conversely, overweight/obese adolescents showed consistently high food reward with no effect of sleep duration, suggesting that they consistently view food as rewarding. These study findings may suggest that shortened sleep duration increased food reward for normal weight individuals, potentially putting them at risk for development of overweight/obesity.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2019-06-01

Document Type

Dissertation

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd11138

Keywords

sleep restriction, inhibitory control, food reward, obesity, physical activity

Language

english

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