Short sleep duration is linked with short stature and delayed age of menarche in Indonesian boarding school girls

Background Several factors directly and indirectly influence child growth. Menarche is the initial menstrual period that is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Both growth and menarche are affected by biological, genetic, epigenetic, nutritional, and psychosocial factors. Boarding schools are assumed to encourage responsibility and maturity in children, but boarding schools are also reported to have less sleeping duration. Objectives The current study aims to assess whether there are differences and associations in sleeping duration, physical activity, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and age of menarche among students in boarding school and regular school. Sample and Methods 123 girls from boarding school and 90 from regular school were selected. Students completed a questionnaire, and data on weight, height, and BMI were collected. Weight, height, and BMI were transformed into standard deviation score (SDS) according to the WHO growth chart. The data were processed using an independent t-test, multiple regression analysis, and St. Nicolas house analysis. Results Independent t-test results showed that there are differences in the median sleep duration (5.36 hours vs. 7.14 hours), weight SDS (-0.09 vs. 0.41), height SDS (-0.65 vs. 0.05), and age of menarche (11.6 vs. 11 years old), respectively, for boarding school and regular school, while there are no differences in physical activity and BMI SDS. Multiple regression analysis and St. Nicolas house analysis showed that sleep duration has a correlation with weight SDS, height SDS, and age of menarche (p < 0.05). Conclusions There is an association between sleep duration, growth, and menarche. Girls with less sleep duration have lower height and weight and are delayed in the age of menarche.