Sleep duration and body mass index and waist circumference among U.S. adults

Abstract

Objective: To examine the form of the relationship between sleep duration and anthropometric measures and possible differences in these relationships by gender and race or ethnicity.

Design and methods: Data for 13,742 participants aged ≥20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010 were used. Sleep duration was categorized as ≤6 (short sleepers), 7-9, and ≥10 hours (long sleepers).

Results: Short sleepers were as much as 1.7 kg/m² (SE 0.4) heavier and had 3.4 cm (SE 1.0) more girth than long sleepers. Among participants without depression or a diagnosed sleep disorder, sleep duration was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference in an inverse linear association in the entire sample, men, women, whites, African Americans, and participants aged 20-39 years. No evidence for statistical interaction by gender and race or ethnicity was observed. Regression coefficients were notably stronger among adults aged 20-39 years. Compared to participants who reported sleeping 7-9 hours per night, short sleepers were more likely to be obese and have abdominal obesity.

Conclusions: In this nationally representative sample of US adults, an inverse linear association most consistently characterized the association between sleep duration and BMI and waist circumference.

FIGURE 1

Adjusted mean body mass index and waist circumference in function of sleep duration among 13,742 participants aged ≥20 years, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2010. Results were adjusted for age, gender, race or ethnicity, education, employment status, children aged ≤17 years in household, smoking status, leisure-time physical activity, alcohol use, any prescription medication use, depression score, histories of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, thyroid disease, liver disease, cancer, and sleep disorder.

FIGURE 2

Adjusted mean body mass index and waist circumference in function of sleep duration among 11789 participants aged ≥20 years, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2010. Participants with a depression score of ≥10 or reported having ever been told by a doctor or other health professional about having a sleep disorder were excluded. Results were adjusted for age, gender, race or ethnicity, education, employment status, children aged ≤17 years in household, smoking status, leisure-time physical activity, alcohol use, any prescription medication use, histories of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, thyroid disease, liver disease, and cancer.