Introduction

Physical exercise is any physical activity that increases or maintains physical fitness, health, and overall well-being. Any activity or movement of the body that requires energy expenditure due to the contraction and expansion of skeletal muscles is called physical activity. The grouping of types of physical activity, according to its definition, is grouped based on the amount of time allocated during the day into types of physical activity during work, physical activity during transportation, or physical activity for recreation and relaxation. Another definition of types of physical activity is based on the feeling of intensity exerted on the person and the amount of effort he or she makes during the activity, which is grouped into three groups of light, moderate, and intense physical activities, based on the amount of energy and oxygen consumed (1).

Sleep quality is not only related to starting to fall asleep and staying asleep, but also sleep quality is referred to as sleep apnea and difficulty falling back to sleep. Difficulty falling back to sleep is caused by intrusive thoughts that prevent the natural process of optimal sleep. This sleep disorder is sometimes called "alpha-delta" sleep. This means that alpha waves (wake-time waves) are often disrupted in the NON-REM stages. Sleep deprivation experiments have shown that several parameters change during the subsequent recovery period after sleep deprivation (2). Sleep onset latency is inversely proportional to the length of the previous wake period. This means that the longer a person is awake, the faster the onset of sleep. Sleep duration and the percentage of short-wave sleep increase with sleep deprivation. If a person who usually sleeps 7 hours stays awake for two nights, there is no need for 21 hours of sleep the next night. Usually, when a person can sleep as long as they want, approximately one-third of the total sleep lost is sufficient to compensate for it (3). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity levels and dietary patterns with body composition and sleep quality in 11-13 year old male students in Qom. The first chapter of this study is devoted to stating the framework and scope of the study. In this chapter, the researcher provides a brief description of all the steps taken, thus providing a basis for establishing a connection with the audience and informing them about how to create and conduct the research. This chapter discusses topics such as the statement of the problem, the importance and necessity of the research, the objectives and hypotheses of the research, and the scope of the research (4).

Sleep quality is a fundamental behavioral mechanism for all living things. Sleep is an essential component of health and well-being. In humans in particular, there is a lot of evidence that shows that this factor reduces physical health. Many studies have examined human sleep function and concluded that this factor can help overcome fatigue, improve energy, protect against brain damage, and promote growth in young people (5). Sleep deprivation causes damage to the body's systems and also leads to mild cognitive impairment, increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and impaired immune system function. In the context of this element, it can be said that the movement pattern of an individual from night to morning is intermittent and depends on his activity and stress during the day. The amount of movement varied among individuals, but the individual movement pattern was somewhat reproducible from night to night; sleep behaviors were closely related to sleep state and sleep habits. The characteristics of sleep behaviors vary from person to person (6).

The results of other studies showed that there is a significant relationship between physical activity and sleep quality. Physical activity is any physical activity or movement that increases the pressure and use of the body's muscles. These activities may include sports, fitness training, jumping, running, swimming, and dancing (7). The main goals of physical activity include improving health and physical condition, losing weight, strengthening muscles, improving cardiovascular strength, and improving mood and stress. These activities can be active and energetic, such as heavy exercise, or calm and relaxed, such as walking or yoga. In general, physical activity is recognized as a vital part of a healthy lifestyle and is very important for maintaining and promoting physical and mental health. Physical activity is very important for maintaining a healthy body and mind and has a great impact on general health. Physical activity leads to increased muscle strength, weight loss, improved cardiovascular health, blood sugar control, increased endurance, and increased energy and general health (8).

The results of Anjou showed that physical activity is significantly associated with body mass. Body mass is an index that is used to accurately measure the state of human body mass (9). This index is obtained from the relationship between a person’s weight and height and shows the degree of obesity or thinness of a person. Body mass is the most important factor determining the nutritional status and health of a person. Different values ​​of body mass are divided into different groups in terms of body weight, including normal weight, obesity, thinness, and very thinness. Body mass is measured in kilograms per square meter and is calculated as weight (kg) divided by height (m) squared. Having a healthy body mass is very important for health and disease prevention, and for this reason, many doctors and nutritionists emphasize measuring a person's body mass. On the other hand, people with unhealthy body mass may suffer from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint diseases, and obesity. This shows that monitoring body mass and exercising to maintain a healthy body mass are of particular importance for maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases (10). Body mass appears to be related to dietary patterns. Dietary patterns refer to the pattern of food consumption of an individual or social group, which includes the type and amount of different foods consumed per day (11). These patterns may include the type and amount of different foods, the time and place of consumption, and are inspired by different cultures and traditions. Dietary patterns are important for maintaining health and preventing diseases. A healthy dietary pattern should include a variety of foods, appropriate amounts of different foods, including fruits, vegetables, protein foods, grains, and dairy products. The dietary pattern should also be in harmony with the body's energy and nutrient needs. The high importance of dietary patterns in maintaining health and preventing diseases has led to increased attention to the selection of appropriate foods and diets. For example, the Mediterranean dietary pattern, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and protein foods such as fish, is known as one of the healthy dietary patterns (12).

The problems that may exist in 11-13 year old male students in Qom city regarding the amount of physical activity, dietary pattern, body composition and sleep quality are that students who have little physical activity due to the use of modern technologies may face problems of anxiety, depression and decreased attention. Consumption of foods with low nutritional value, sweets, chips and carbonated drinks may cause weight gain, obesity, digestive discomfort and other health problems. Lack of supplementary exercises, consumption of foods rich in fat, sugar and salt may cause an increase in body fat and a decrease in physical performance. Using technology during sleep, stress and excessive worries can reduce the quality of sleep and daily energy. Therefore, in this study, we seek to answer the question of what is the relationship between the amount of physical activity and dietary pattern with the body composition and sleep quality of 11-13 year old male students in Qom city?

Method: The present study is applied in terms of purpose and quantitative in terms of approach. The method used in the present study is a descriptive-correlational survey.

Participants: The research population in this study included all 11-13 year old male students in Qom in 1402-403. Green et al. suggest the sample size in studies using regression according to the Tabachnik and Fidel formula. Where k is the number of predictor variables. Therefore, if there are 2 (independent) predictor variables, the minimum sample size is 66 people. Therefore, 100 people were selected in this study and the validity of the findings. The sampling method in this study was convenience sampling.

The tool of the present study is as follows:

International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (PAQ-C): The "Physical Activity of Adolescents" questionnaire was designed by Crocker et al. (1997). The "Physical Activity for Young Children" questionnaire is a self-report seven-day physical activity recall questionnaire designed to assess moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity in fourth- to eighth-grade children (approximately eight to 14 years old). It contains 10 questions. The first question provides a list of various activities that determine which activities the child has participated in and how many times during the past week, and the average of all activities is considered the composite score of the first question. Questions two to eight are about the amount of physical activity in physical education class, recess, lunchtime, after school, evenings, and weekends. Question nine is about the average physical activity over all days of the past week, and the average activity over all days of the week is considered the composite score of this question. The last question is to identify students who did not participate in their usual physical activity during the past week due to illness or other conditions and is not considered part of the physical activity score. This questionnaire uses a five-point Likert scale (one = no activity to five = five to seven times and more), with higher scores indicating higher levels of physical activity. The total physical activity score in this questionnaire is obtained from the average of the first nine questions (Kowalski et al., 2019).

Validity and reliability: In the study of Zameni et al. (2019), the face and content validity of this questionnaire was examined and confirmed. Zameni et al. (2019) used internal consistency and test-retest methods to calculate the reliability of the questionnaire. In order to evaluate the internal consistency of the questionnaire, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated. Cronbach's alpha coefficient in the total sample was 0.89. The intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated with the test-retest method during two tests with an interval of 15 days among 120 students, and its value was 0.92.

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire (PSQI): The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire assesses individuals' perceptions of sleep quality over the past four weeks. It has seven items. Each item on the questionnaire is scored from zero to three.

Its components include 1. The individual's overall description of sleep quality 2. Delay in falling asleep 3. Duration of useful sleep 4. Sleep adequacy (calculated based on the ratio of useful sleep duration to total time spent in bed) 5. Sleep disturbances (measured as the individual's nighttime awakenings). 6. Amount of sleeping pills consumed

7. Morning performance (defined as problems caused by poor sleep experienced by the individual during the day.

Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA): The questionnaires in this section are a tool for the initial assessment of the status of clients referred to health care providers as the first level of service provision to clients at health centers covered by the country's health care network, divided by age groups and pregnant mothers.

In these questionnaires, screening means any initial, general, and non-specialized assessment of the dietary pattern and physical activity of age groups and determining how to continue health care services to clients of health centers, including the need for referral to a nutritionist or physician.

Results: To examine the constancy of the residual variance, a scatter plot was used between the estimated standard values ​​and the standard residuals. Since the scatter plot does not show a specific trend, it can be said that the second assumption of the appropriateness of the regression (the assumption of constant variance) is also accepted. Therefore, the regression results can be trusted.

As the results of Table 4 show, the prediction of the sleep quality of the respondents based on physical activity and dietary pattern is not significant. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that physical activity can predict sleep quality.

To examine the constancy of the residual variance, a scatter plot was used between the estimated standard values ​​and the standard residuals. Since the scatter plot does not show a specific trend, it can be said that the second assumption of the appropriateness of the regression (the assumption of constant variance) is also accepted. Therefore, the regression results can be trusted.

As the results of Table 6 show, the prediction of the morning performance component of the respondents' sleep quality is significant based on physical activity but not based on dietary pattern. Therefore, it can be concluded that physical activity can predict the morning performance component of sleep quality.

Conclusion: Physical activity is an important factor for the healthy growth and development of students. Physical activity increases physical endurance and strength, increases concentration and thinking ability, improves mental and social health, reduces stress, and increases energy and happiness (11). In addition, physical activity increases social interactions and communication skills in students. While physical activity is beneficial for everyone, it is more important for students because at this stage of life, their physical, mental, and social development will have a greater impact on their future (12). Therefore, participation in sports and physical activities helps students improve academic performance, increase self-confidence, and have emotional stability. In general, physical activity is considered an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for students and should have a special place in school and university curricula to help students better achieve advanced knowledge and personal growth (13).

Nelson et al. stated that sleep quality is defined as an individual’s satisfaction with all aspects of the sleep experience. Sleep quality has four characteristics: sleep efficiency, sleep latency, sleep duration, and wakefulness after sleep onset. Antecedents include physiological factors (e.g., age, circadian rhythm, body mass index, NREM, REM), psychological (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression), and environmental (e.g., room temperature, television/device use), and family/social factors. The determinants of good sleep quality include positive effects such as feeling rested, normal reflexes, and positive relationships. Consequences of poor sleep quality include fatigue, irritability, impaired daytime functioning, slowed responses, and increased caffeine/alcohol consumption (14).

Wilson et al. also stated that dietary carbohydrate and fat intake are associated with both better and worse sleep quality measures. However, the type of carbohydrate and fat was an important factor in this association, with diets containing complex carbohydrates (e.g., fiber) and healthier fats (e.g., unsaturated) being associated with better sleep quality. Diets containing protein were associated with better sleep quality. In general, diets rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and anti-inflammatory nutrients and lower in saturated fat (e.g., the Mediterranean diet) were associated with better sleep quality. The relationship between diet and sleep quality requires further investigation. It seems that the reason for the lack of significance of sleep quality based on dietary patterns may be due to these factors. On the other hand, the results of Sharifi's study (15) showed that leisure-time physical activity can affect sleep quality, so considering this finding, it can be claimed that physical activity improvement programs can have a significant effect on improving sleep quality in the elderly, which is in line with the findings of the study.

Research on the relationship between physical activity, dietary patterns, and sleep quality is of great importance because the positive and negative effects of these factors on the mental and physical health of individuals have been seriously considered. These relationships can also have a significant impact on male students aged 11 to 13, because in this age group, children and adolescents undergo many physiological and psychological changes that require special attention and care. The results of this study showed that students who are more physically active, have better dietary patterns, and sleep better, and promotional programs can be designed to increase physical activity and improve dietary and sleep patterns in this age group. On the other hand, by conducting this study, the level of knowledge and research in the field of student health can be improved and more research can be encouraged in this field. These studies can help improve the health conditions of students and increase their quality of life.

In general, sleep quality, by definition, appears to consist of subjective indicators related to how sleep is experienced, such as the level of satisfaction with sleep and the feeling one has after waking up. Poor sleep quality can lead to daytime sleepiness, mood swings, and increased risk of drug use. On the other hand, morning performance is affected by physical activity but not by dietary patterns.

Research limitations:

Among the limitations of this research is the lack of control over the stressful conditions of the subjects outside of training, the limitedness of the examined sample and as a result the problem of generalizing it to other athletes in different disciplines, the existing research gap in relation to the study of the research variables, the research sample. It was related to the city of Ardakan, Yazd, and according to cultural and social factors, this case may be effective in generalizing the results at the national level and other groups. In the present study, variables such as social class, educational status, etc. It is one of the influential factors, which may have influenced the results, so it is suggested to use each person's favorite music in future research.

Keywords: Dietary Pattern, Physical Activity, Sleep Quality.

Ethical Considerations

Compliance with ethical guidelines

The ethical principles observed in the article, such as the informed consent of the participants, the confidentiality of information, the permission of the participants to cancel their participation in the research. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of the Toloemehr University.

Funding

This study was extracted from the M.A thesis of first author at Department of Sport Psychology of Toloemehr University.

Authors' contribution

All authors contributed equally to the conceptualization of the article and writing of the original and subsequent drafts.

Conflict of interest

The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants of the present study.