Study reveals close relationship between fruit intake and sleep duration

A new study illuminates the significant relationship between sleep duration and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption by highlighting how these two critical determinants of health can mutually influence each other. The key findings were published in the recent issue of Frontiers in Nutrition journal.

The research analyzed data from the National FinHealth 2017 Study and encompassed a total of 5,043 adults aged 18 and above. The participants reported their typical sleep duration and dietary habits using a validated self-administered questionnaire. To ensure the robustness of the findings, the study also accounted for potential confounding factors like the demographic and socio-economic variables, as well as the chronotype which could suggest if a person is naturally inclined to be an early bird or a night owl. Also, a sensitivity analysis excluded the participants who underreported their energy intake to validate the results.

The study categorized sleep duration into three groups as short, normal and long. It found that individuals with shorter and longer sleep durations consumed significantly fewer fruits and vegetables when compared to the participants with normal sleep duration. The short sleepers consumed 37 grams per day less FV while long sleepers consumed 73 grams per day less FV than normal sleepers.

The research identified a consistent and significant negative association between FV consumption and both short and long sleep durations, even after adjusting for various covariates. Further linear regression analyses showed a positive but initially non-significant association between sleep duration and FV consumption. However, this association became significant after excluding the individuals who underreported their energy intake in the primary model.

These findings suggest a consistent pattern, where the deviation from normal sleep duration were linked to reduced consumption of fruits and vegetables. This relationship emphasizes the importance of considering sleep patterns when designing dietary interventions. The study elucidated the substantial role of accurate energy reporting in understanding these associations by suggesting that previous inconsistencies in similar research of dietary reporting.

Overall, this Finnish study adds to the growing body of evidence that sleep and diet are closely intertwined. Further research could help to unravel the mechanisms that drive the association between sleep and diet. Understanding these dynamics could pave opportunities for more effective health interventions that consider both sleep and dietary habits.

Reference:

Thapa, A., Lahti, T., Maukonen, M., & Partonen, T. (2024). Consumption of fruits and vegetables and its association with sleep duration among Finnish adult population: a nationwide cross-sectional study. In Frontiers in Nutrition (Vol. 11). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1319821