Gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and dietary behaviors are significant correlates of short sleep duration in the general population: the Nagahama Study

Abstract

Study objectives: To examine relationships among gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, dietary behaviors, and sleep duration in the general population.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Community-based.

Participants: There were 9,643 participants selected from the general population (54 ± 13 y).

Interventions: None.

Measurements and results: Sleep duration, sleep habits, and unfavorable dietary behaviors of each participant were assessed with a structured questionnaire. Participants were categorized into five groups according to their sleep duration: less than 5 h, 5 to less than 6 h, 6 to less than 7 h, 7 to less than 8 h, and 8 or more h per day. GERD was evaluated using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG) and participants having an FSSG score of 8 or more or those under treatment of GERD were defined as having GERD. Trend analysis showed that both the FSSG score and the number of unfavorable dietary habits increased with decreasing sleep duration. Further, multiple logistic regression analysis showed that both the presence of GERD (odds ratio = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.32) and the number of unfavorable dietary behaviors (odds ratio = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.13-1.26) were independent and potent factors to identify participants with short sleep duration even after controlling for other confounding factors.

Conclusion: The current study showed that both GERD symptoms and unfavorable dietary behaviors were significant correlates of short sleep duration independently of each other in a large sample from the general population.

Keywords: dietary behavior; gastroesophageal reflux disease; general population; sleep duration.

Figure 1

FSSG score for participants by sleep duration and with or without a regular sleep schedule. The bars represent the mean FSSG scores in each group. The numeral in each bar represents the number of participants in each group. The asterisk is explained as follows: The comparisons of FSSG score among groups categorized by sleep duration were performed with Dunnet test using the group with 7 h to less than 8 h per day sleep duration as the reference. In participants with regular sleep schedule, there were significant differences between the reference group and each of group with less than 5 h, 5 to less than 6 h, and 6 to less than 7 h per day sleep duration, whereas there was no significant differences with the group with 8 or more h per day sleep duration. However, in participants with an irregular sleep schedule, the significant difference was not found between the reference and any of the other groups. FSSG, Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD. GERD, Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Figure 2

Association between FSSG score and the number of unfavorable dietary behaviors. The bars represent the mean FSSG score in each group. The numeral in each bar represents the number of participants in each group. FSSG, Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD. GERD, Gastroesophageal reflux disease.