Parent-child associations of sleep quality: is physical activity a confounder? The EPI-FAMILY health study.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of sleep deprivation has increased in pediatric populations, however, the relationship with physical activity (PA) remains uncertain and lacks evidence. Although some studies have shown that parents' lifestyle habits can influence this process, one point that requires further clarification in the literature is whether parents' sleep quality is linked to that of their children and whether parents' physical activity could play an important role in these possible relationships. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship of sleep quality between parents and children and verify the role of physical activity in this association. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. Sleep quality was assessed using the Mini Sleep Questionnaire. The amount of sleep was estimated by the number of hours slept. PA domains (occupational activities, leisure, and active commuting) were assessed using the Baecke questionnaire, while moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was assessed with an accelerometer. Socioeconomic status was obtained through a questionnaire. The relationship of sleep quality between parents and children was carried out using hierarchical models with Binary Logistic Regression, where the factors were inserted one by one (1. unadjusted model; 2. sociodemographic variables; 3. children's PA; 4. parents' PA). RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 102 children and adolescents (6-17 years), 92 mothers, and 69 fathers. Poor sleep quality of mothers was associated with their children's sleep quality (OR = 3.95; 95%CI = 1.33-11.38; P = 0.013). After inserting mothers' PA intensity into the final model, the associations remained significant (OR = 8.05; 1.33-48.59; P = 0.023). No relationship was observed between poor sleep quality of fathers and their children's sleep quality. CONCLUSION: The relationship between poor sleep quality of mothers and that of their children remained significant, regardless of confounding variables.

High workload is related to lower quality of life in public school teachers: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: People with long work hours, as evidenced by teachers, were more likely to present health problems that impact their quality of life (QoL). The reduced physical activity (PA) level or higher sedentary behavior in public school teachers was related to obesity. Although PA seems to improve the QoL in other professions, assessing whether the PA level could influence the relationship between workload and QoL in public school teachers is necessary. OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether the high workload was related to worse QoL in teachers considered less active and more active. METHODS: Two hundred forty-three teachers from public schools participated in this study. The domains of QoL and PA levels were assessed by SF-36 and Baecke questionnaires, respectively. Workload perception was assessed by a Likert scale. Binary logistic regression analyzed the association between high workload and QoL domains in teachers considering the PA level in a model adjusted by confounding factors (i.e., sex, age, and socioeconomic condition). RESULTS: Heavy workload was associated with less chances of having better physical limitation domain of both less and more physically active teachers. Less active teachers with heavy workloads were 53%, 61%, and 56% less likely to have better vitality, social functioning, and mental health, respectively. No such associations were observed in the more physically active teachers. CONCLUSION: Less active teachers with a heavy workload demonstrate lower QoL. Although the PA practice eliminated this relationship, both active and less active teachers with a heavy workload demonstrated lower QoL in physical limitation domain.