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Gender Differences in the Association between Sleep Duration and Body Composition: The Cardia Study
Marie-Pierre St-Onge1, Suzanne Perumean-Chaney, Renee Desmond
1New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital, 1090 Amsterdam Avenue, suite 14D, New York, NY 10025, USA.
International Journal of Endocrinology
|January 6, 2010
Summary
Shorter sleep duration is linked to higher body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, particularly in women. This association may be influenced by physical activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Sleep duration is inversely associated with body mass index (BMI).
- Understanding the relationship between sleep and body composition is crucial for public health.
- Previous studies suggest a link between insufficient sleep and increased adiposity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between self-reported sleep duration and body composition.
- To investigate potential gender differences in the sleep-body composition association.
- To analyze the influence of lifestyle factors and physical activity on this relationship.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the CARDIA study, including Black and White participants.
- Utilized Box-Tidwell regression models to assess associations.
- Adjusted for age, race, lifestyle, demographics, and physical activity.
Main Results:
- Significant interactions between sleep duration and gender were observed.
- In women, inverse relationships between sleep duration and BMI/waist circumference were noted, particularly before accounting for physical activity.
- In men, a trend for an inverse relationship between sleep and BMI was observed, but it did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions:
- Self-reported sleep duration is associated with body composition variables like BMI and waist circumference.
- The relationship between sleep duration and body composition appears stronger in women than in men.
- Physical activity may mediate the association between sleep duration and body composition.
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