Associations Between Energy, Alcohol, and Macronutrient Intake and Measures of Sleep Quality

– Poster Session IV
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

FAES Terrace

CC

BEHAV-1

Authors

  • R Gabauer
  • D Gitt
  • S Goff
  • E Reese
  • S Bernstein
  • K Zambell
  • A Courville
  • M Skarulis

Abstract

Introduction: Previous research suggests a link between dietary intake and sleep, but limited studies have measured both subjective and objective sleep quality. This study examined the association between energy, alcohol, and macronutrient intake and measures of sleep quality in healthy adults from the metropolitan Washington, DC area. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined baseline data from a natural history protocol conducted at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (n=223). Seven day food records were reviewed by nutrition staff and analyzed in Nutrition Data System for Research. Subjects also completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Objective sleep data was collected from a subset of the sample (n=103) using the Apnea Risk Evaluation System Unicorder. Multivariate general linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between dietary variables and subjective and objective measures of sleep quality while controlling for potential confounders. Results: The subjects’ average (mean±SE) age and BMI were 40.5±0.9 years and 33.4±0.7 kg/m2, respectively. Energy intake was associated with PSQI components of sleep disturbance (β=0.165, P=0.019) and daytime dysfunction (β=0.195, P=0.006). PSQI daytime dysfunction was associated with protein intake (β=-0.151, P=0.02). Remaining individual macronutrients and alcohol intake were not associated with any subjective or objective measures of sleep quality. Conclusions: Our findings are consistent with previous research suggesting higher caloric intake is associated with poorer sleep quality. However, our results suggest that subjective and objective measures of sleep used in this study are generally not associated with macronutrient intake.

Scientific Focus Area: Social and Behavioral Sciences

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