4-Week intervention combining kiwifruit consumption and small-sided soccer games improves sleep quality in children with overweight/obesity and pre-existing sleep problems.
- 2025-01-13
- Nutrition and health 31(4)
- Manel Kerkeni
- Mohamed Kerkeni
- Achraf Ammar
- Abdul Rashid Aziz
- Anwar Jallouli
- Aseel AlSaleh
- Waqar Husain
- Hadeel A Ghazzawi
- Wassim Moalla
- Hamdi Chtourou
- Haitham Jahrami
- Khaled Trabelsi
- PubMed: 39801291
- DOI: 10.1177/02601060241311385
Study Design
- Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- Population
- overweight/obese children with sleep problems, aged 8 to 12 years with a body mass index above the 85th percentile
- Methods
- randomly assigned to one of three groups: SSSG only, SSSG-kiwifruit, or control
- Blinding
- Open-label
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- Funding
- Unclear
Background: Childhood obesity is a global public health concern associated with various health risks, including disrupted sleep patterns. Aim: This study investigated the effects of kiwifruit consumption and small-sided soccer games (SSSG) over 4 weeks on sleep patterns in overweight/obese children with sleep problems. Methods: Thirty-six participants, aged 8 to 12 years with a body mass index above the 85th percentile, were randomly assigned to one of three groups: SSSG only (n = 12), SSSG-kiwifruit (SSSG-K, n = 12), or control (CG, n = 12). Sleep patterns were monitor 1 week before, and during the first and last 2 weeks of the intervention. The CG group maintained their usual routines without structured physical activity. The SSSG and SSSG-K groups, both engaged in SSSG type of training two to three times per week, with the SSSG-K group also consuming on a daily basis two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime. Results: In the final 2 weeks, the SSSG group demonstrated significant improvements in sleep efficiency (p = 0.03), sleep latency (p < 0.001), and bedtime timing (p < 0.001) compared to baseline. The SSSG-K group also showed significant improvements in sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and total sleep time compared to baseline, and relative to CG, and SSSG groups during the 4 weeks (all p < 0.05). Additionally, SSSG-K participants had earlier bedtimes and increased time in bed compared to their baseline (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Combining kiwifruit consumption with SSSG exercise effectively enhances sleep patterns in overweight/obese children.
Research Insights
SSSG-K participants had earlier bedtimes and increased time in bed compared to their baseline (p < 0.05)
- Effect
- Beneficial
- Effect size
- Moderate
- Dose
- two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime
Compared to baseline, and relative to CG, and SSSG groups during the 4 weeks ... sleep efficiency (p < 0.05)
- Effect
- Beneficial
- Effect size
- Moderate
- Dose
- two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime
SSSG-K participants had earlier bedtimes and increased time in bed compared to their baseline (p < 0.05)
- Effect
- Beneficial
- Effect size
- Moderate
- Dose
- two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime
Compared to baseline, and relative to CG, and SSSG groups during the 4 weeks ... total sleep time (p < 0.05)
- Effect
- Beneficial
- Effect size
- Moderate
- Dose
- two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime
Compared to baseline, and relative to CG, and SSSG groups during the 4 weeks ... sleep latency (p < 0.05)
- Effect
- Beneficial
- Effect size
- Moderate
- Dose
- two kiwifruits 1 hour before bedtime