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. 2024 Nov 19;16(11):e74038.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.74038. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Sleep Quality and Its Contributing Factors Among Patients With Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hasan A Saeed  1 , Ali H Mohsen  2 , Ahmed T Alqayem  3 , Sadiq H Hasan  2 , Mohamed M Hasan  1 , Husain A Alzeera  1
Affiliations

Sleep Quality and Its Contributing Factors Among Patients With Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hasan A Saeed et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a major public health issue associated with a range of comorbid conditions, including sleep disturbances. Poor sleep quality is common in individuals with obesity, yet the factors contributing to this relationship remain underexplored, especially in non-Western populations. This study aimed to investigate sleep quality and its contributing factors among patients with obesity in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in multiple healthcare centers in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Two hundred adults (aged 18-65 years) with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that assessed demographics, sleep patterns, lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, dietary habits, electronic device use), and comorbid health conditions. Sleep quality was self-reported using a four-point scale. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, were used to identify relationships between BMI and sleep quality.

Results: The mean age of participants was 42.5 years (SD = 12.3), with 56% female. Participants reported an average sleep duration of 5.8 hours per night (SD = 1.3). Over 50% of participants experienced poor sleep quality, and 64% reported symptoms of sleep apnea. Increasing BMI was associated with poorer sleep quality, with those in the highest BMI categories (BMI >42 kg/m²) reporting the worst sleep outcomes. Lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity (75%) and caffeine consumption (60.5% within six hours of bedtime) were also significantly associated with poor sleep quality.

Conclusions: Obesity is strongly associated with poor sleep quality in this cohort, with higher BMI and unhealthy lifestyle factors contributing to sleep disturbances. Interventions targeting weight management, physical activity, dietary habits, and sleep hygiene are essential for improving sleep quality and overall health in obese patients. Future research should explore the causal mechanisms between obesity and sleep disturbances and evaluate the effectiveness of integrated obesity and sleep interventions.

Keywords: bmi; comorbid conditions; lifestyle factors; obesity; saudi arabia; sleep disturbances; sleep quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ministry of Health Ethics Committee issued approval 2024-9912. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Ministry of Health. Informed consent was collected from each participant prior to data collection. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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