The Association Between Sleep Quality and Eating Habits among International Students in South Korea

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This study was performed to identify the relationship between sleep quality and eating habits change after going abroad for international students in South Korea. Methods Using self-report questionnaires, data on general characteristics, health-related variables, sleep pattern and eating habits after going abroad were collected from 225 international students (105 men; 120 women). Results More half of the international students experienced poor sleep quality [poor by PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) = 52.0%]. Subjects who reported poor sleep quality had significantly higher total score of eating habits after going abroad (P-value < 0.001), the change of environment for dietary consumption (P = value = 0.010) and eating problems after going abroad (P-value = 0.001) than those who reporting good sleep quality. The high BMI (P-value = 0.043) and risk for overweight and obesity [odd ratio (95% CI) = 2.621 (1.301–5.280), P = value = 0.007] showed the subjects with poor sleep quality. Among subjects with worse eating habits after going abroad, the subjects with poor sleep quality increased their risk for overweight and obesity (OR = 3.433, 95% CI = 1.063–11.085, P = value = 0.039) compared to subjects with good sleep quality. However, those findings were not shown the subjects with better eating habits after going abroad. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrated that sleep quality was associated with eating habits after going abroad, and overweight and obesity among international students in South Korea. Funding Sources This study was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2019R1C1C1002149) funded by the Ministry of Science.