Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis

Emma Louise Gale; Joanne Elizabeth Cecil; Andrew James Williams

doi:10.1111/jsr.70239

Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis

Emma Louise Gale^*
, Joanne Elizabeth Cecil
, Andrew James Williams

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Poor sleep and emotional wellbeing, which often decline during puberty, are associated with declines in metabolic health and are key determinants of childhood obesity. The aim of the study was to explore bidirectional associations between sleep, emotional wellbeing and obesity from ages 8 to 14 using the Growing Up in Scotland cohort. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from sweeps 7–10 (ages 8–14). Sleep duration was caregiver-reported at age 8 and self-reported at 14. Obesity was assessed using BMI percentiles (BMIp), derived from objective height and weight at ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Emotional wellbeing was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire caregiver-report at 10 and 12 years, and self-report at 14 years. Pearson correlations and adjusted regressions examined associations between sleep, BMIp and emotional wellbeing from ages 8 to 14. Analyses included 4157 participants (50.2% male). Shorter sleep at 8 years was associated with higher BMIp at 12 years (β = −0.172, CI (95%) = −0.335, −0.116, p < 0.001) and poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.120, CI (95%) = −0.179, −0.034, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.101, CI (95%) = −0.164, −0.026, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.116, CI (95%) = −0.232, −0.093, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.194, CI (95%) = −0.328, −0.174, p < 0.001) predicted shorter sleep at 14 years. Higher BMIp at 8 years was associated with shorter sleep at 14 years (β = −0.182, CI (95%) = −0.359, −0.111, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 years was associated with higher BMIp at 14 years (β = 0.142, CI (95%) = 0.074, 0.629, p = 0.13). Bidirectional associations emerged between short sleep and emotional wellbeing and higher BMIp. Poor emotional wellbeing was associated with subsequent obesity; but not bidirectionally. These interactions should inform the design of health interventions for 8–14-year-olds

Original language	English
Article number	e70239
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Sleep Research
Volume	Early View
Early online date	14 Nov 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.70239
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 14 Nov 2025

Keywords

Body mass index
Longitudinal
Mental health
Paediatric
Puberty
Secondary data analyses

Access to Document

10.1111/jsr.70239Licence: CC BY

Gale-et-al-2025-Longitudinal-and-bidirectional-relationships-JSleepRes-e70239-CCBY
Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Journal of Sleep Research published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Sleep Research Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Final published version, 289 KBLicence: CC BY

Handle.net

Persistent link

1 Article

Trajectory and trend of weight status, emotional wellbeing and sleep from infancy to childhood to adolescence in Scotland: an analysis of growing up in Scotland birth cohort 1
Gale, E. L., Cecil, J. E. & Williams, A. J., 20 Nov 2025, In: Pediatric Obesity. Early View, p. 1-12 12 p., e70049.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

Shared determinants of poor sleep and increased adiposity and obesity in childhood and adolescence
Gale, E. L. (Author), Williams, A. J. (Supervisor) & Cecil, J. E. (Supervisor), 3 Dec 2024
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis (PhD)

Cite this

@article{85bb016877e24827ab6d68499ce953f5,

title = "Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis",

abstract = "Poor sleep and emotional wellbeing, which often decline during puberty, are associated with declines in metabolic health and are key determinants of childhood obesity. The aim of the study was to explore bidirectional associations between sleep, emotional wellbeing and obesity from ages 8 to 14 using the Growing Up in Scotland cohort. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from sweeps 7–10 (ages 8–14). Sleep duration was caregiver-reported at age 8 and self-reported at 14. Obesity was assessed using BMI percentiles (BMIp), derived from objective height and weight at ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Emotional wellbeing was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire caregiver-report at 10 and 12 years, and self-report at 14 years. Pearson correlations and adjusted regressions examined associations between sleep, BMIp and emotional wellbeing from ages 8 to 14. Analyses included 4157 participants (50.2\% male). Shorter sleep at 8 years was associated with higher BMIp at 12 years (β = −0.172, CI (95\%) = −0.335, −0.116, p < 0.001) and poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.120, CI (95\%) = −0.179, −0.034, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.101, CI (95\%) = −0.164, −0.026, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.116, CI (95\%) = −0.232, −0.093, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.194, CI (95\%) = −0.328, −0.174, p < 0.001) predicted shorter sleep at 14 years. Higher BMIp at 8 years was associated with shorter sleep at 14 years (β = −0.182, CI (95\%) = −0.359, −0.111, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 years was associated with higher BMIp at 14 years (β = 0.142, CI (95\%) = 0.074, 0.629, p = 0.13). Bidirectional associations emerged between short sleep and emotional wellbeing and higher BMIp. Poor emotional wellbeing was associated with subsequent obesity; but not bidirectionally. These interactions should inform the design of health interventions for 8–14-year-olds",

keywords = "Body mass index, Longitudinal, Mental health, Paediatric, Puberty, Secondary data analyses",

author = "Gale, \{Emma Louise\} and Cecil, \{Joanne Elizabeth\} and Williams, \{Andrew James\}",

note = "Funding: This work was supported by the University of St Andrews and University of Edinburgh.",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1111/jsr.70239",

language = "English",

volume = "Early View",

pages = "1--10",

journal = "Journal of Sleep Research",

issn = "0962-1105",

publisher = "John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd",

}

Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis. / Gale, Emma Louise ; Cecil, Joanne Elizabeth ; Williams, Andrew James.
In: Journal of Sleep Research, Vol. Early View, e70239, 14.11.2025, p. 1-10.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence

T2 - growing up in Scotland cohort analysis

AU - Gale, Emma Louise

AU - Cecil, Joanne Elizabeth

AU - Williams, Andrew James

N1 - Funding: This work was supported by the University of St Andrews and University of Edinburgh.

PY - 2025/11/14

Y1 - 2025/11/14

N2 - Poor sleep and emotional wellbeing, which often decline during puberty, are associated with declines in metabolic health and are key determinants of childhood obesity. The aim of the study was to explore bidirectional associations between sleep, emotional wellbeing and obesity from ages 8 to 14 using the Growing Up in Scotland cohort. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from sweeps 7–10 (ages 8–14). Sleep duration was caregiver-reported at age 8 and self-reported at 14. Obesity was assessed using BMI percentiles (BMIp), derived from objective height and weight at ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Emotional wellbeing was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire caregiver-report at 10 and 12 years, and self-report at 14 years. Pearson correlations and adjusted regressions examined associations between sleep, BMIp and emotional wellbeing from ages 8 to 14. Analyses included 4157 participants (50.2% male). Shorter sleep at 8 years was associated with higher BMIp at 12 years (β = −0.172, CI (95%) = −0.335, −0.116, p < 0.001) and poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.120, CI (95%) = −0.179, −0.034, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.101, CI (95%) = −0.164, −0.026, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.116, CI (95%) = −0.232, −0.093, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.194, CI (95%) = −0.328, −0.174, p < 0.001) predicted shorter sleep at 14 years. Higher BMIp at 8 years was associated with shorter sleep at 14 years (β = −0.182, CI (95%) = −0.359, −0.111, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 years was associated with higher BMIp at 14 years (β = 0.142, CI (95%) = 0.074, 0.629, p = 0.13). Bidirectional associations emerged between short sleep and emotional wellbeing and higher BMIp. Poor emotional wellbeing was associated with subsequent obesity; but not bidirectionally. These interactions should inform the design of health interventions for 8–14-year-olds

AB - Poor sleep and emotional wellbeing, which often decline during puberty, are associated with declines in metabolic health and are key determinants of childhood obesity. The aim of the study was to explore bidirectional associations between sleep, emotional wellbeing and obesity from ages 8 to 14 using the Growing Up in Scotland cohort. Secondary analyses were conducted on data from sweeps 7–10 (ages 8–14). Sleep duration was caregiver-reported at age 8 and self-reported at 14. Obesity was assessed using BMI percentiles (BMIp), derived from objective height and weight at ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. Emotional wellbeing was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire caregiver-report at 10 and 12 years, and self-report at 14 years. Pearson correlations and adjusted regressions examined associations between sleep, BMIp and emotional wellbeing from ages 8 to 14. Analyses included 4157 participants (50.2% male). Shorter sleep at 8 years was associated with higher BMIp at 12 years (β = −0.172, CI (95%) = −0.335, −0.116, p < 0.001) and poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.120, CI (95%) = −0.179, −0.034, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.101, CI (95%) = −0.164, −0.026, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 (β = −0.116, CI (95%) = −0.232, −0.093, p < 0.001) and 12 years (β = −0.194, CI (95%) = −0.328, −0.174, p < 0.001) predicted shorter sleep at 14 years. Higher BMIp at 8 years was associated with shorter sleep at 14 years (β = −0.182, CI (95%) = −0.359, −0.111, p < 0.001). Poorer emotional wellbeing at 10 years was associated with higher BMIp at 14 years (β = 0.142, CI (95%) = 0.074, 0.629, p = 0.13). Bidirectional associations emerged between short sleep and emotional wellbeing and higher BMIp. Poor emotional wellbeing was associated with subsequent obesity; but not bidirectionally. These interactions should inform the design of health interventions for 8–14-year-olds

KW - Body mass index

KW - Longitudinal

KW - Mental health

KW - Paediatric

KW - Puberty

KW - Secondary data analyses

U2 - 10.1111/jsr.70239

DO - 10.1111/jsr.70239

M3 - Article

SN - 0962-1105

VL - Early View

SP - 1

EP - 10

JO - Journal of Sleep Research

JF - Journal of Sleep Research

M1 - e70239

ER -

Longitudinal and bidirectional relationships between sleep, emotional wellbeing and weight status in childhood and adolescence: growing up in Scotland cohort analysis

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Handle.net

Fingerprint

Research output

Trajectory and trend of weight status, emotional wellbeing and sleep from infancy to childhood to adolescence in Scotland: an analysis of growing up in Scotland birth cohort 1

Student theses

Shared determinants of poor sleep and increased adiposity and obesity in childhood and adolescence

Cite this