The data was taken from a larger study into Australian lifestyles called the Men Androgen Inflammation Lifestyle Environment and Stress (MAILES) study. Data extracted from this, with a focus on diet and sleep apnea has found a correlation between higher fat content and sleep disorders.
The scope of the study included 1,800 Australian men who were aged between 35-80 years. The men were surveyed over a 12-month period and they recorded information about what they eat, when they felt sleepy and the quality and quantity of sleep they achieved each night.
The data was adjusted for the age groups and for lifestyle factors. Note was also taken of any chronic diseases that the men were suffering from. With these factors accounted for, the results remained unchanged. Here, for men who eat high fat diets, 47 percent had poor or reduce night time sleeping and 41 percent reported that they regularly felt sleepy during the day time. When moderate sleep apnea was assessed, the figure rose to 54 percent among those who regularly enjoyed a diet with a higher fat content.
Comments from the participants suggested many of the men were locked into a vicious circle. Because they felt tired during the day they tended towards a high fat diet; and because they eat a high fat diet they were more likely to feel sleepy during the day.
Commenting on the study outcome, the lead researcher, Yingting Cao, told Laboratory Manager magazine about the importance of the work: “This has significant implications for alertness and concentration, which would be of particular concern to workers,” Ms Cao says. “High fat intake was also strongly associated with sleep apnea.”
The experimental data will contribute towards studies into diet and weight loss, as well as the link between diet and general health issues.
The work has been carried out at the University of Adelaide. The research findings are published in the journal Nutrients. The research paper is headed “Associations between Macronutrient Intake and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea as Well as Self-Reported Sleep Symptoms: Results from a Cohort of Community Dwelling Australian Men.”
