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Chronotype is independently associated with glycemic control in type 2 diabetes
Sirimon Reutrakul1, Megan M Hood, Stephanie J Crowley
1Section of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA. sreutrakul@yahoo.com
Diabetes Care
|May 3, 2013
Summary
Later chronotype and large dinners are linked to poorer glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients, independent of sleep issues. This highlights the circadian system's role in metabolic health.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Glycemic control is crucial for managing type 2 diabetes.
- Chronotype and meal timing may influence metabolic regulation.
- The independent role of chronotype and caloric distribution on glycemic control, separate from sleep disturbances, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between chronotype, daily caloric distribution, and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients.
- To determine if these associations persist independently of sleep disturbances.
- To explore the mediating role of dinner's caloric proportion in the chronotype-glycemic control relationship.
Main Methods:
- 194 type 2 diabetes patients completed interviews and questionnaires on sleep and diet.
- Chronotype was assessed using mid-sleep time on weekends.
- One-day food recall analyzed caloric distribution; hierarchical linear regression examined associations with HbA1c.
Main Results:
- Chronotype was significantly associated with glycemic control (HbA1c) (P = 0.001), independent of sleep variables.
- A higher proportion of daily calories consumed at dinner partially mediated this association.
- Later chronotype and larger dinner size correlated with poorer glycemic control.
Conclusions:
- Later chronotype and larger dinner size are associated with poorer glycemic control in type 2 diabetes, irrespective of sleep disturbances.
- Chronotype may serve as a predictive factor for disease outcomes in diabetes.
- These findings underscore the importance of the circadian system in metabolic regulation.
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