Does inadequate sleep predispose to weight gain? A cross-sectional analysis among medical undergraduates

Abstract

Background: Adequate sleep is essential for optimal health. Sleep deprivation has been shown to be associated with adverse health outcomes, including weight gain and obesity. Medical students represent one of the at-risk populations for sleep deprivation. Aims and Objectives: This study was aimed at exploring the relationship between inadequate sleep and weight gain in the medical student population. Materials and Methods: The present analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 126 undergraduate medical students (95 males and 31 females) within the age range 18–25 years at an institute in Southern Haryana, India. Sociodemographic and usual sleep-wake habits during the preceding month information about the participants were gathered through self-administration of a structured pro forma compiled as Google Forms. Height and weight of each subject were measured reliably using standard instruments and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Data were expressed using suitable statistical measures and analyzed using appropriate statistical tests. Results: Our study revealed a significant association between subjective sleep quality and weight gain with those perceiving their sleep as poor being much more likely to be overweight (Crude Odd’s ratio; 95% confidence interval: 3.45; 1.33–8.95). Students reporting usually getting inadequate sleep and difficulty in falling asleep were also found to have a higher frequency of being overweight (76.9% vs. 23.1%, 61.5% vs. 38.5%, respectively). A small, though statistically insignificant, difference in mean BMI was also seen; students who reported getting insufficient sleep (<7 h), taking ≥30 min to fall asleep, and rated their sleep quality as poor outweighed their counterparts. Conclusion: The findings of our study suggest that inadequate sleep might predispose to weight gain and obesity, though the same needs to be explored through a longitudinal approach controlling for potential confounders to arrive at a definitive conclusion.