Healthy non-obese adults with poor sleep tended to consume more calories and gain weight with increasing abdominal obesity, suggests a study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.¹

Somers et al recruited 12 healthy non-obese adults, aged 19-39 years, to examine the effects of experimental sleep restriction on energy intake and expenditure over a period of 21 days. The study comprised 4 days of acclimation followed by 14 days of experimental sleep restriction (4-hour sleep opportunity) or control sleep (9-hour sleep opportunity) and then a 3-day recovery segment. Energy intake, energy expenditure, body weight, body composition, fat distribution and circulating biomarkers were repeatedly measured.

Results show that participants in the experimental sleep restriction consumed more calories compared to controls, with a difference of 308.1 kcal per day, increasing protein and fat intake. But, no difference in energy expenditure was noted.

Participants in the intervention and control groups gained weight; the increase in weight was however much more in the experimental sleep restriction group, with a net gain of 0.5 kg. Increase in total abdominal fat, both subcutaneous and visceral, was observed only during sleep restriction. No difference in total body fat changes were observed between the two groups. Increase in abdominal visceral fat of +7.8 cm2 was noted.

This study demonstrates the impact of restricted sleep on food choices. Sleep restricted participants ate significantly more fat and protein than the controls who slept for 9 hours. Since energy expenditure remained unaffected, this resulted in abdominal fat accumulation, particularly visceral fat. Sleep deprivation therefore increases the likelihood of abdominal visceral obesity and cardiometabolic risk. Hence, sleep quality should be a part of risk assessment for cardiometabolic diseases.

Reference

1. Covassin N, et al. Effects of experimental sleep restriction on energy intake, energy expenditure, and visceral obesity. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(13): 1254-1265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2022.01.038