Gender-specific link between sleep quality and body composition components: a cross-sectional study on the elderly

Sleep duration has been associated with overweight/obesity. Since sleep quality and body composition alter during aging, we conducted this study to determine if sleep quality is linked to body composition components in elderly people. This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 305 Iranian community-dwelling elderly aged ≥ 65 years. Sleep quality and body composition components were evaluated using Pittsburgh sleep quality index and bioelectric impedance analysis, respectively. The association of sleep quality and body composition components was examined using linear regression analysis. The prevalence of poor sleep quality and overweight/obesity was 48.9% and 54.4% in men and 77.0% and 79.3% in women, respectively. Women had significantly higher scores in most PSQI items than men, indicating their worse sleep quality compared to men. Women also had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and visceral adipose tissue and lower skeletal muscle and fat-free mass percentages than men. In the adjusted regression model, men showed positive associations between the third tertile of poor sleep quality and BMI (B = 1.35; 95% CI 0.08-2.61) and waist circumference (B = 4.14; 95% CI 0.39-7.89), but they did not demonstrate an association between sleep quality and body composition components. In the adjusted regression model for women, there were positive associations for BMI (B = 1.21; 95% CI 0.34-2.07), waist circumference (B = 2.95; 95% CI 0.99-4.91), body fat percentage (B = 2.75; 95% CI 1.06-4.45), and visceral adipose tissue (B = 7.80; 95% CI 1.73-13.87); also there were negative associations for skeletal muscle (B =  - 1.40; 95% CI - 2.39 - - 0.41) and fat-free mass (B =  - 2.76; 95% CI - 4.46 - -1.07) percentages. Except for waist circumference, other variables differed between men and women (P < 0.001). Weight management, prevention of muscle wasting, and improvement of sleep quality should be considered in a consortium when designing healthcare strategies for the elderly.

Food insecurity is associated with low diet quality and unhealthy cooking and eating habits in Iranian women

BACKGROUND

Food insecurity affects diet and nutrition intakes. We explored the relationship between food insecurity and dietary intakes in a group of Iranian women.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study was performed on 190 healthy females aged 20-55 years attending primary healthcare centers in Shiraz. Food insecurity was evaluated by Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, which is a validated tool for assessing food insecurity in developing countries. Diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. The association of dietary patterns and food insecurity was assessed by linear regression.

RESULTS

Assessment of dietary intakes revealed that consumption of red meat, poultry, fish, dairy, fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and nuts decreased whereas that of grains, processed meats, potato, and sugary foods increased with increasing food insecurity. Among nutrients, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, calcium, and magnesium decreased while fat and sodium increased as food insecurity increased. Three major dietary patterns were detected. Healthy dietary patterns showed inverse associations with food insecurity in the crude (β = -0.422 and - 0.435, P < 0.001) and adjusted (adjusted for age, marital status, and educational level) (β = -0.475 and - 0.341, P < 0.001) models of regression analysis but unhealthy pattern did not show an association with food insecurity. Compared to food secure participants, a higher percentage of food insecure individuals indicated unhealthy eating habits, such as skipping breakfast, lower snack ingestion, more fast and fried food consumption, and using unhealthy cooking methods.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this study showed that food insecurity was associated with less healthy diet and unhealthy cooking and eating habits.

Sleep deprivation in development of obesity, effects on appetite regulation, energy metabolism, and dietary choices

Sleep deprivation, which is a decrease in duration and quality of sleep, is a common problem in today's life. Epidemiological and interventional investigations have suggested a link between sleep deprivation and overweight/obesity. Sleep deprivation affects homeostatic and non-homoeostatic regulation of appetite, with the food reward system playing a dominant role. Factors such as sex and weight status affect this regulation; men and individuals with excess weight seem to be more sensitive to reward-driven and hedonistic regulation of food intake. Sleep deprivation may also affect weight through affecting physical activity and energy expenditure. In addition, sleep deprivation influences food selection and eating behaviours, which are mainly managed by the food reward system. Sleep-deprived individuals mostly crave for palatable energy-dense foods and have low desire for fruit and vegetables. Consumption of meals may not change but energy intake from snacks increases. The individuals have more desire for snacks with high sugar and saturated fat content. The relationship between sleep and the diet is mutual, implying that diet and eating behaviours also affect sleep duration and quality. Consuming healthy diets containing fruit and vegetables and food sources of protein and unsaturated fats and low quantities of saturated fat and sugar may be used as a diet strategy to improve sleep. Since the effects of sleep deficiency differ between animals and humans, only evidence from human subject studies has been included, controversies are discussed and the need for future investigations is highlighted.

Effect of short- and long-term protein consumption on appetite and appetite-regulating gastrointestinal hormones, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM

High-protein diets are considered as useful diets for weight loss programs. We collected randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of protein on appetite and gastrointestinal hormones involved in appetite regulation.

METHODS

Trials were included if participants were healthy adults and isocaloric treatments were used in control and treatment arms. Random-effects model was used to calculate mean difference and 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

In total, 49 publications for acute and 19 articles for long-term effect of protein were included. In acute interventions, protein decreased hunger (-7 mm visual analogue scale (VAS), P<0.001), desire to eat (-5 mm, P = 0.045), and prospective food consumption (-5 mm, P = 0.001) and increased fullness (10 mm, P<0.001) and satiety (4 mm, P<0.001). There was also a decrease in ghrelin (-20 pg/ml, P<0.001) and increase in cholecystokinin (30 pg/ml, P<0.001) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) (21 ng/ml, P<0.001), but no change in gastric inhibitory polypeptide and peptide YY was observed. Appetite markers were affected by protein doses < 35 g but ghrelin, cholecystokinin, and GLP-1 changed significantly after doses ≥ 35 g. Long-term ingestion of protein did not affect these outcomes, except for GLP-1 which showed a significant decrease.

CONCLUSION

Results of this meta-analysis showed that acute ingestion of protein suppresses appetite, decreases ghrelin, and augments cholecystokinin and GLP-1. Results of long-term trials are inconclusive and further trials are required before a clear and sound conclusion on these trials could be made.

Effect of Natural Honey on Glycemic Control and Anthropometric Measures of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial

Background

Due to high content of fructose, honey has been introduced as a suitable natural sweetener for patients with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the effect of honey consumption on glycemic control and anthropometric measures of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

This randomized controlled crossover clinical trial was conducted on 53 patients with type 2 diabetes. The participants were randomly divided into groups of control (weight maintenance diet) or treatment (weight maintenance diet +50 g/day honey) for 8 weeks. After a 4-week washout, the second phase began, in which the role of the groups was interchanged. Blood glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glucose, insulin, and anthropometric characteristics were measured. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS. Repeated measures of ANOVA were used to test differences within- and between the two conditions.

Results

Forty-two patients completed the study. HbA1c significantly decreased in control (-0.22%, P = 0.03) and nonsignificantly increased in honey condition (+0.17%, P = 0.22). There was a significant difference between the two conditions (P = 0.02). Fasting glucose did not significantly change in either honey or control condition but insulin concentrations (-0.85 μU/ml, P = 0.01) and insulin secretion (-10.7%, P = 0.01) decreased significantly in the control condition. There was no significant difference in any of these parameters between the two conditions. Waist circumference decreased by honey treatment with a significant difference between the two conditions (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Eight weeks consumption of 50 g/day honey increased HbA1c and decreased waist circumference of patients with type 2 diabetes.