Background: Obesity and its consequences threaten the general health of individuals. The results of studies suggest a possible role for sleep deprivation in increasing the prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sleep pattern and obesity.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 395 students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran, based on a multistage cluster random sampling method. Sleep pattern was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and height and weight were clinically measured to calculate body mass index (BMI). Linear regression analysis was performed for analyzing data.
Findings: One-fourth of the participants had BMI ≥ 25, and 40.8% were poor-quality sleepers (PSQI > 5). Mean sleep duration was 6.39 ± 1.05 hours for participants. Among the men after controlling for age, socioeconomic status, and education level, a significant negative relationship was found between sleep duration and BMI [β = -0.088, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.916, -0.021, P = 0.022] and this association was marginally significant in women (β = -0.066, 95% CI: -0.681, 0.243, P = 0.071). In addition, there was a significant negative relationship between sleep quality and BMI in men (β = -0.139, 95% CI: -1.328, -0.007, P = 0.008).
Conclusion: The results indicate the possible role of sleep deprivation in increasing the prevalence of obesity and support the health development programs for promoting healthy sleep among students. However, more research is needed to confirm the findings.