Association between snacking habits and sleep problems in children aged 6 to 12: a cross-sectional study in Iran.

Background: Sleep problems in children significantly impact physical and mental development. Studies suggest that snacking habits influence sleep quality. This study examines the association between snacking habits and sleep problems among children aged 6 to 12 in Iran.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 729 children. Sleep status were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), while snacking habits were evaluated through a questionnaire covering nine food items. Latent class regression analysis with a distal outcome was used to classify participants into sleep and snacking habits profiles and assess their associations.

Results: In our analysis, three snacking habits classes-Healthy, Unhealthy, and Mixed healthy and unhealthy were identified alongside two sleep status profiles: Healthy sleep and Disrupted sleep. Children with unhealthy snacking habits had higher odds of experiencing sleep problems (OR = 2.23, p = 0.004), while those in the Mixed healthy and unhealthy group also showed an increased risk (OR = 2.34, p = 0.004). Adjusted models confirmed the persistence of these associations (OR = 1.90, p = 0.030 for the Unhealthy group and OR = 1.93, p = 0.047 for the Mixed group). Boys were more likely than girls to adopt unhealthy snacking habits (p = 0.002). Further analysis indicated that the association between snacking habits and sleep problems was more pronounced in boys, whereas no significant relationship was observed among girls.

Conclusions: Unhealthy and mixed healthy and unhealthy snacking habits are associated with increased odds of sleep disturbances in children especially boys underscoring the need for targeted dietary interventions to support pediatric sleep health.