Sleep Duration and BMI: A Study Among First-Year Students of a Malaysian Muslim Gifted and Talented Institution

Sleep is widely recognized as a public health concern due to its impact on societal well-being and healthcare expenses. Emerging evidence suggests that insufficient sleep may significantly increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular event. To date few studies have examined sleep duration and patterns within Malaysian boarding school particularly in Muslim Gifted and Talented institution. This study aims to identify sleep duration and investigate its relationship with body mass index (BMI) among first-year students of Kolej PERMATA Insan. Demographic data including gender, height, and weight were analysed using descriptive analysis. A linear regression test was applied to explore the relationship between BMI and sleep duration. Result indicated that male students slept significantly longer compared to female students. However, no association was found between sleep duration and BMI. This postulates that the structured environment and healthy lifestyle prepared by the Muslim Gifted and Talented Institution may mitigate potential negative impacts of insufficient sleep on BMI.