Associations of chronotype and social jetlag with eating jetlag and their changes among German students during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The Chronotype and Nutrition study

Oct 6, 2022Appetite

Links between sleep timing, social jetlag, and eating schedule changes in German students during the first COVID-19 lockdown

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Abstract

Among 317 students aged 18-25 years, those with a later chronotype or larger social jetlag (SJL) experienced a larger eating jetlag (EJL) with p-values of 0.0124 and <0.0001, respectively.

Students with a later chronotype may experience more irregular meal timings.
A larger SJL is associated with greater discrepancies in eating patterns.
Reductions in SJL during the first COVID-19 lockdown corresponded with decreased EJL.
Flexible daily schedules during lockdown may have helped students align meal times with their natural body clock.

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Due to their biologically later chronotype, young students are vulnerable to a discrepant sleeping pattern between work- and free days, coined social jetlag (SJL). This study examined whether a later chronotype and/or a larger SJL are related to an analogous discrepancy in meal timing defined as eating jetlag (EJL) and whether chronotype and/or changes in SJL during the first COVID-19 related lockdown in Germany associated with changes in EJL. Baseline data were collected from September 2019-January 2020 among 317 students (58% females) aged 18-25 years of which a total of 156 students (67% females) completed an online follow-up survey in June-July 2020 (1st lockdown). Data were collected on daily routines, timing of meals/snacks, and physical activity. Chronotype was determined using the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire; SJL and EJL correspond to the difference in the daily midpoint of sleep/eating duration between work- and free days. Multivariable linear regression revealed that students with a later chronotype or a larger SJL experienced a larger EJL (p = 0.0124 and p<0.0001). A later chronotype at baseline and reductions in SJL during lockdown associated with concurrent reductions in EJL (p = 0.027 and p<0.0001). In conclusion, students with a later chronotype exhibit a more erratic meal pattern, which associates with SJL. During lockdown, flexible daily schedules allowed students to align the meal timing with their inner clock. adjusted adjusted adjusted adjusted

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Associations of chronotype and social jetlag with eating jetlag and their changes among German students during the first COVID-19 lockdown. The Chronotype and Nutrition study

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