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Both weight at age 20 and weight gain have an impact on sleep disturbances later in life : Results of the EpiHealth study

Cai, Gui Hong ; Janson, Christer ; Theorell-Haglöw, Jenny ; Benedict, Christian ; Elmståhl, Sölve LU ; Lind, Lars and Lindberg, Eva (2018) In Sleep 41(1).
Abstract

Study Objectives: Obesity is often associated with impaired sleep, whereas the impact of body mass index (BMI) at younger age and previous weight gain on sleep problems remains unknown. Methods: The present study utilized data from the Swedish EpiHealth cohort study. A total of 15845 participants (45–75 years) filled out an internet-based questionnaire. BMI was calculated from both measured data at study time and self-reported data at age 20 from the questionnaire. Results: Sleep-related symptoms were most common among obese individuals (BMI > 30 kg/m2). An association between weight gain and sleep problems was found and those with a low BMI at age 20 were most vulnerable to weight gain when it came to risk of sleep... (More)

Study Objectives: Obesity is often associated with impaired sleep, whereas the impact of body mass index (BMI) at younger age and previous weight gain on sleep problems remains unknown. Methods: The present study utilized data from the Swedish EpiHealth cohort study. A total of 15845 participants (45–75 years) filled out an internet-based questionnaire. BMI was calculated from both measured data at study time and self-reported data at age 20 from the questionnaire. Results: Sleep-related symptoms were most common among obese individuals (BMI > 30 kg/m2). An association between weight gain and sleep problems was found and those with a low BMI at age 20 were most vulnerable to weight gain when it came to risk of sleep problems. Among those who were underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) at age 20, weight gain (kg/year) was associated with difficulties initiating sleep with an adjusted OR of 2.64 (95% CI: 1.51–4.62) after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, education, and civil status. The corresponding adjusted OR’s among those who had been normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.99) and overweight (BMI 25–29.99 kg/m2) at age 20 were 1.89 (1.47–2.45) and 1.02 (0.48–2.13), respectively. Also difficulties maintaining sleep and snoring were most strongly related to weight gain among those who were underweight at age 20 with decreasing odds with increasing BMI at that age. Conclusions: Sleep problems are related to weight gain and obesity. The impact of weight is most pronounced among those who had a low BMI when young.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aging, Body mass index (BMI), Epidemiology, EpiHealth study, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), Insomnia, Obesity, Sleep problems, Snoring, Weight gain
in
Sleep
volume
41
issue
1
pages
7 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:29361188
  • scopus:85041366515
ISSN
0161-8105
DOI
10.1093/sleep/zsx176
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9d3723f3-968a-4522-b500-29f33fd7f64c
date added to LUP
2018-02-21 14:30:37
date last changed
2024-03-18 05:29:45
@article{9d3723f3-968a-4522-b500-29f33fd7f64c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Study Objectives: Obesity is often associated with impaired sleep, whereas the impact of body mass index (BMI) at younger age and previous weight gain on sleep problems remains unknown. Methods: The present study utilized data from the Swedish EpiHealth cohort study. A total of 15845 participants (45–75 years) filled out an internet-based questionnaire. BMI was calculated from both measured data at study time and self-reported data at age 20 from the questionnaire. Results: Sleep-related symptoms were most common among obese individuals (BMI &gt; 30 kg/m<sup>2</sup>). An association between weight gain and sleep problems was found and those with a low BMI at age 20 were most vulnerable to weight gain when it came to risk of sleep problems. Among those who were underweight (BMI &lt; 18.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) at age 20, weight gain (kg/year) was associated with difficulties initiating sleep with an adjusted OR of 2.64 (95% CI: 1.51–4.62) after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, education, and civil status. The corresponding adjusted OR’s among those who had been normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.99) and overweight (BMI 25–29.99 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) at age 20 were 1.89 (1.47–2.45) and 1.02 (0.48–2.13), respectively. Also difficulties maintaining sleep and snoring were most strongly related to weight gain among those who were underweight at age 20 with decreasing odds with increasing BMI at that age. Conclusions: Sleep problems are related to weight gain and obesity. The impact of weight is most pronounced among those who had a low BMI when young.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cai, Gui Hong and Janson, Christer and Theorell-Haglöw, Jenny and Benedict, Christian and Elmståhl, Sölve and Lind, Lars and Lindberg, Eva}},
  issn         = {{0161-8105}},
  keywords     = {{Aging; Body mass index (BMI); Epidemiology; EpiHealth study; Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS); Insomnia; Obesity; Sleep problems; Snoring; Weight gain}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Sleep}},
  title        = {{Both weight at age 20 and weight gain have an impact on sleep disturbances later in life : Results of the EpiHealth study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsx176}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/sleep/zsx176}},
  volume       = {{41}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}