Insufficient sleep duration and poor sleep quality can potentiate weight gain and obesity in adolescents. Furthermore, overweight and obese females are at unique risk for insufficient sleep and associated health complications. We examined self-reported sleep duration and self-reported adequacy of sleep duration as potential moderators of the relationship between eating behavior and several cognitive processes including hedonic hunger, executive dysfunction, and self-control. We used a multisystemic conceptual framework to highlight the pathways that may explain the relationship between sleep behaviors and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The study employed a cross-sectional design. Participants completed baseline measures of height and weight, self-control, executive functioning, hedonic hunger, and sleep functioning. Self-report of poor sleep adequacy directly influenced executive dysfunction which consequently explained a decrease in self-control functioning. Moreover, we evaluated whether sleep deprivation and extension influences caloric intake. We offer novel yet promising evidence that 9 hrs of sleep fostered greater self-control functioning which promoted intake of 484.69 fewer calories per day compared to sleep deprivation. Our study is well-positioned to improve understanding of individual cognitive subsystems and the mechanism that underlies the influence of sleep behavior on weight-related behaviors among overweight and obese females. Findings from this study have the potential to inform health interventions that promote healthy eating and sleep behaviors.

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