Social Jetlag and Emerging Adults’ Performance in a Behavioral Weight Loss Trial

Abstract

Social jetlag (SJ)—the shift in sleep timing between workdays and free days—is linked to deleterious cardiometabolic outcomes. SJ is greatest among emerging adults, who are already at high risk for overweight/obesity and experience suboptimal weight loss outcomes. Goals of this ancillary study were to assess SJ among emerging adults enrolled in a 6-month behavioral weight loss trial and examine the association between SJ and treatment outcomes. Bedtime/waketime were self-reported at baseline, and program engagement was monitored throughout the intervention. Weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage were measured at baseline and post-treatment. Participants (N = 282) reported 1.5 hours of SJ on average, with 30.5% reaching the threshold for clinical significance. There were no significant associations between SJ and program engagement nor between SJ and change in adiposity. Life transitions and chaotic schedules are common during emerging adulthood; thus, further research is needed to capture nuanced patterns of sleep disruption.

Keywords

sleep obesity health behavior longitudinal health promotion emerging adults

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