Behavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep duration among children in Samoa.

OBJECTIVES

To describe sleep duration, adherence to sleep recommendations, and behavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep among Samoan children.

METHODS

In a longitudinal cohort study of Samoan children aged 2-9years (n = 481; 50% female), primary caregivers reported usual number of hours of nighttime sleep during 2015, 2017/2018, and 2019/2020 data collection waves. Associations between behavioral and sociodemographic characteristics and sleep duration were assessed using generalized linear and mixed effect regressions.

RESULTS

Average reported hours of nighttime sleep for toddlers (age 2) was 9.7 ± 1.1 (SD); for preschoolers (age 3-5) 9.5 ± 1.0, and for school-age children (age 6-9) 9.4 ± 1.3, with 58% of children meeting sleep recommendations. Living in a lower income household was associated with 30 more minutes of sleep for toddlers (adjusted β:0.56 [95% CI: 0.03, 1.09]) and preschoolers (adjusted β:0.51 [95% CI: 0.17, 0.85]), while higher reported physical activity was associated with longer sleep for school-age children (adjusted β:0.49 [95% CI: 0.08, 0.91]). Preschoolers with a primary caregiver who did not complete high school had shorter sleep (β: -0.80 [95% CI: -1.12, -0.48]). Among school-aged children, shorter sleep was associated with greater total carbohydrate intake (for every 100 g/day, β: -0.01 [95% CI: -0.02, 0.01]) and neotraditional dietary pattern adherence (β: -0.27 [95% CI: -0.53, -0.01]).

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts should be made to encourage adequate sleep among Samoan children. Correlates of sleep were largely consistent with existing literature. Future research should examine additional culturally and contextually-specific risk factors for insufficient sleep in Samoa and consequences for child health.