Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of obesity on sleep quality, the anthropometric and autonomic parameters of adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out with adolescents aged 11 to 18, analyzing parameters such as BMI, sleep quality records, waist circumference, fat percentage, blood pressure and sexual maturation, in addition to autonomic cardiac function through the analysis of heart rate variability. RESULTS: The anthropometric parameters of waist circumference, percentage fat mass, were significantly higher in the group of obese adolescents. Sympathetic modulation in LF% was significantly higher in obesity. Parasympathetic modulation in HF% was significantly lower in obese than in eutrophic. CONCLUSION: Obese adolescents do not have poor sleep quality; there is no distinction between boys and girls regarding the analyzed variables; however, obesity alone was responsible for negatively influencing anthropometric parameters, as well as impairing the autonomic cardiac modulation.