Fewer hours of sleep associated with increased body weight in Chilean university nutrition students

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the association between fewer hours of sleep and excess weight/obesity in first- to fourth-year nutrition students at Universidad de San Sebastian in Chile. A total of 635 students were evaluated, of whom 86.4% were women. The Pittsburg sleep survey was administered to each student along with an anthropometric evaluation, and the body mass index of each was calculated. A raw and adjusted analysis of logistic regression was performed. A total of 57.1% of students slept less than the recommended amount. Sleeping less was associated with excess weight or obesity in the model adjusted for age and daytime sleepiness (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.84; 95% CI, 1.26-2.68), and adjusted for age, smoking, dairy, fruit, and legume consumption; and daytime sleepiness (aOR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.29–2.76). There is an association between fewer hours of sleep and higher body mass in this population; this should be considered in excess weight prevention.