Experimental Changes in Children's Sleep Duration and Timing: Effect on Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Enhancing children\'s sleep duration and/or timing may represent a novel approach for weight regulation and prevention of T2DM. The proposed study will assess how experimental changes in children\'s sleep duration and timing affect weight regulation and T2DM risk. Sixty African American children ages 8-11 years old who sleep approximately 9.5 hours or less each night will be enrolled into a 4-arm randomized controlled pilot to compare three experimental manipulations in children\'s sleep to a \"typical sleep\" (TYP) control. Experimental arms will include: 1) increase in time in bed (TIB) by 90 minutes/night; 2) increase in TIB by 45 minutes/night; or 3) consistent (CON) sleep schedule (but no change in TIB). At baseline, 2- and 4-week follow-up, participants be weighed and measured for height, have body fat assessed (bod pod), and their blood drawn (following an overnight fast). The pilot will provide important data on the potential role of sleep in combating disparities in cardiometabolic risk. Primary aims are: 1) to determine the effects of changes in sleep on changes in glucose regulation and 2) to determine the effect of changes in sleep on additional measures of glucose regulation and adiposity.