Sleep Can Influence Food Intake

A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania looked at differences in the diet of people who reported different sleep patterns.

Researchers analyzed data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and focused on responses to questions about sleep and diet. After examining the data, respondents were put on groups based on sleep patterns: very short sleep (less than 5 hours a night), short sleep (5 to 6 hours a night), standard sleep (7 to 8 hours a night), and long sleep (9 hours or more a night).

Overall, the normal sleep group had the most food variety and the very short sleep group had the lowest food variety. The analysis also showed that, compared to the diet of the normal sleep group: very short sleep was linked to lower intake of water, lycopene, and total carbohydrates; short sleep was linked to lower intake of vitamin C, water, selenium, and a higher intake of lutein/zeaxanthin (found in green, leafy vegetables); long sleep was linked to lower intake of choline, theobromine, dodecanoic acid (saturated fat), total carbohydrates, and a higher intake of alcohol.

"This will be an important area to explore going forward as we know that short sleep duration is associated with weight gain, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease."

Michael A. Grandner, Nicholas Jackson, Jason R. Gerstner, Kristen L. Knutson, "Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample". Appetite Volume 64, 1 May 2013, Pages 71-80 doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.01.004; Link to Abstract.