Smoking and alcohol experimentation and less structured eating timing at ages 10-12 are shared determinants of shorter sleep and higher BMI percentile at age 14 in adolescents.
In a Scottish birth cohort (n=4157), having tried smoking or alcohol at age 12 and being allowed to eat whenever the child wanted at age 10 were meaningfully associated with both shorter sleep duration and higher BMI percentile at age 14. These associations were independent of other covariates, suggesting shared modifiable determinants for sleep and weight outcomes.
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Smoking and alcohol experimentation and less structured eating timing at ages 10-12 are shared determinants of shorter sleep and higher BMI percentile at age 14 in adolescents. The current body of evidence comprises 1 study. EvidenceHub rates the overall confidence at 34/100 (low).
The Claim
Smoking and alcohol experimentation and less structured eating timing at ages 10-12 are shared determinants of shorter sleep and higher BMI percentile at age 14 in adolescents.
This conclusion is most relevant to: Adolescents from the Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1, aged 10-14 years (50.2% male).
What the Research Shows
The conclusion draws on 1 linked study. Highlights from the cited literature:
- ▸Shared Behavioural Determinants of Short Sleep and Obesity From Childhood to Adolescence: An Analyses of Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1. (Pediatric obesity, 2026) — In a Scottish birth cohort (n=4157), having tried smoking or alcohol at age 12 and being allowed to eat whenever the child wanted at age 10 were meaningfully associated with both shorter sleep duration and higher BMI percentile at age 14. These associations were independent of other covariates, suggesting shared modifiable determinants for sleep and weight outcomes.
How It Works
The proposed biological pathway:
- ▸Risk-taking behaviours (smoking, alcohol) may disrupt sleep and eating routines
- ▸Unstructured eating timing may lead to poor dietary choices and weight gain
- ▸These behaviours may share underlying neurobiological or psychosocial pathways
- ▸Result: Shorter sleep and higher BMI percentile at age 14
Who Might Benefit
Evidence fit by population:
- ▸Adolescents from the Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1, aged 10-14 years (50.2% male)
Recommended Dose
N/A
Limitations & Caveats
Important context when interpreting this evidence:
- ▸Observational design, cannot establish causality
- ▸Sleep duration and behavioural determinants were self-reported (main-carer or child), potential reporting bias
- ▸Only assessed at specific ages (10, 12, 14), may not capture dynamic changes
- ▸Confounding by unmeasured variables (e.g., family environment, genetics) possible
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the shared determinants of short sleep and obesity?▼
Having tried smoking and alcohol at age 12, and being allowed to eat whenever the child wanted at age 10, were associated with both shorter sleep and higher BMI percentile at age 14.
How large was the study sample?▼
The study included 4157 participants from the Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1.
Were there determinants that affected only sleep or only BMI?▼
Yes, poorer emotional wellbeing and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption were associated with shorter sleep only, while maternal BMI was associated with BMIp only.
What is the implication for interventions?▼
Targeting risk-taking behaviours and eating routines may help improve both sleep and weight outcomes in adolescence.
References
- 1.Gale EL, Cecil JE, Williams AJ. “Shared Behavioural Determinants of Short Sleep and Obesity From Childhood to Adolescence: An Analyses of Growing Up in Scotland Birth Cohort 1..” Pediatric obesity, 2026. PMID: 42554343 DOI: 10.1111/ijpo.70142