Excessive daytime sleepiness and health risk behaviors among adolescents: a population-based study.

This study aims to analyze excessive daytime sleepiness in relation to health risk behaviors among adolescents. Epidemiological and cross-sectional study carried out with 1st-year high school students from 20 state public schools in the city of Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Data were collected in 2022/2023. The dependent variable was analyzed using the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale, validated for Brazil. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple analyses were performed using Poisson Regression. 1,616 adolescents participated in the study, among them, 72% had excessive daytime sleepiness, with higher prevalence among girls (PR=1.22), those who studied in the morning (PR=1.35) and full-time (PR=1.35) shifts, those who were in the pre-contemplation stage of behavior change (PR=1.15), those who consumed ultra-processed foods daily (PR=1.09), with severe depressive symptoms (PR=1.16) and with smartphone addiction (PR=1.36). The high prevalence of daytime sleepiness was associated with health risk behaviors among adolescents. Thus, actions that encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles are necessary to minimize health damage in the short, medium and long term.