Does sleep duration affect how much fruit and vegetables we eat?

• An analysis of data from the National FinHealth 2017 study published in the Frontiers in Nutrition reported a link between sleep duration and consumption of fruits and vegetables.
• Both short and long sleepers consumed less fruits and vegetables than normal sleepers.
• People sleeping less than 7 hours per day consumed 37 grams of fruits and vegetables less than those sleeping 7-9 hours.
• Individuals sleeping more than 9 hours per day consumed 73 grams per day, less than those sleeping 7-9 hours per day.

Sleep and diet are critical factors in our overall health and well-being. When we lack enough food or the food we access lacks the nutrients we need, our health gradually becomes compromised. Similarly, if one does not sleep, health will start to suffer. Prolonged lack of sleep can even lead to death.

The importance of sleep
Humans need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night. However, the modern lifestyle often puts individuals in situations where they cannot get enough sleep. The need to fulfill demands from different spheres of life (family, work, connecting with friends, personal activities…) is often satisfied at the cost of sleep time. Studies indicate that a substantial share of the population reports problems with sleep (Wang et al., 2023). These problems lead to issues such as daytime fatigue, sleepiness, irritability, and many others, creating a substantial well-being and even economic burden for society (Hillman & Lack, 2013).

 

Studies indicate that a substantial share of the population reports problems with sleep.

Sleep problems are also associated with changes to our dietary habits. A study has shown that just one night of reduced sleep increased subsequent food intake in healthy men (Brondel et al., 2010). A meta-analysis of 12 studies reported that individuals with short sleep duration had 41% higher odds of developing obesity than those with a normal sleep period (Bacaro et al., 2020). Another meta-analysis reported 89% increased odds of developing obesity for children who are short sleepers and 55% increased odds for adults (Cappuccio et al., 2008).

Studies have also linked short sleep duration to an increased risk of contracting or dying from cardiovascular diseases (Sofi et al., 2014) and type 2 diabetes (Vgontzas et al., 2009).

 

A study has shown that just one night of reduced sleep increased subsequent food intake in healthy men.

 

Lack of sleep increases the desire for unhealthy foods
A neuroimaging study of healthy adults found that sleep deprivation significantly decreases the activity in regions within the frontal cortex and insular cortex of the brain that evaluate food choices while increasing the activity in the amygdala region (Greer et al., 2013).

This indicates that, after sleep deprivation, an individual’s ability to evaluate food choices rationally likely decreases (frontal and insular cortex) while emotional experiences related to food increase (amygdala). This neural mechanism potentially explains why insufficient sleep makes individuals more likely to choose high-calorie foods, foods that promote weight gain (see Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Effects of sleep deprivation in the brain related to diet

 

The current study
Study author Anupa Thapa and her colleagues wanted to investigate whether sleep duration is associated with how much fruit and vegetables one consumes (Thapa et al., 2024). They hoped to discover whether sleep duration influences fruit and vegetable consumption and vice versa.

These researchers analyzed data from the National FinHealth 2017 Study, a population-based health survey conducted in Finland. The study included 5043 adults who responded to a letter inviting them to a health examination and to complete a self-administered questionnaire by mail.

The mean age of participants was 55. 56% were women, and 71% were in a marital, cohabiting, or registered relationship.

Study authors analyzed data about participants’ eating habits (the Food Frequency Questionnaire) and sleep duration (“How many hours do you sleep in 24 hours?”). In data about eating habits, the study authors focused on the responses about participants’ consumption of fruits (including citrus fruits, apples, berries, and other fresh and canned fruits) and vegetables (including green leafy vegetables, root vegetables, cabbages, mushrooms, legumes, fruit vegetables, other fresh and canned vegetables) over the past 12 months.

Using participants’ responses and specialized software (the FINESSI software of THL and the Finish National Food Consumption Database), study authors estimated participants’ average daily food consumption (in grams per day). They used sleep duration responses to classify participants into short sleepers (less than 7 hours per day), normal sleepers (7-9 hours per day), and long sleepers (more than 9 hours per day).

In addition to these data, the study authors analyzed participants’ age, gender, education, income, employment, cohabitation, body-mass index, physical activity level, and chronotype (whether they are morning types, evening types, or in-between) (see Figure 2).

 

Figure 2. Study procedure (Thapa et al., 2024)

 

21% of participants were short sleepers
Results showed that 21% of participants were short-sleepers, sleeping 6 hours per night on average. 3% were long sleepers (10 hours per night on average). 22% were morning types, 16% were evening types, and most participants (62%) reported their chronotype as intermediate.

Short and long sleepers eat less fruits and vegetables than normal sleepers
Further analysis revealed that short- and long-sleepers eat less fruit and vegetables than normal sleepers. Short sleepers consumed, on average, 37 grams of fruits and vegetables per day less than normal sleepers. Long sleepers consumed 73 grams of fruits and vegetables per day less than individuals sleeping between 7 and 9 hours (see Figure 3).

 

Figure 3. Study Results (Thapa et., 2024)

 

The study authors checked whether some of the demographic variables they studied could explain this difference. However, the differences in fruit and vegetable consumption remained even after adjusting for demographic differences.

Conclusion
This study on a large national sample discovered that deviation from normal sleep duration is consistently associated with decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in many important micronutrients, as well as antioxidants and fibers. These substances are essential for maintaining various bodily functions and preventing different chronic diseases. Because of this, they are necessary components of a healthy diet (e.g., Mithril et al., 2012), suggesting the need to take sleep patterns into account when planning dietary interventions.

The paper “Consumption of fruits and vegetables and its association with sleep duration among Finnish adult population: a nationwide cross-sectional study” was authored by Anupa Thapa, Tuuli Lahti, Mirkka Maukonen, and Timo Partonen.

 

References
Bacaro, V., Ballesio, A., Cerolini, S., Vacca, M., Poggiogalle, E., Donini, L. M., Lucidi, F., & Lombardo, C. (2020). Sleep duration and obesity in adulthood: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 14(4), 301–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2020.03.004

Brondel, L., Romer, M. A., Nougues, P. M., Touyarou, P., & Davenne, D. (2010). Acute partial sleep deprivation increases food intake in healthy men. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91(6), 1550–1559. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28523

Cappuccio, F. P., Taggart, F. M., Kandala, N.-B., Currie, A., ChB, M., Peile, E., & Miller, M. A. (2008). Meta-Analysis of Short Sleep Duration and Obesity in Children and Adults. 31(5).

Greer, S. M., Goldstein, A. N., & Walker, M. P. (2013). The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain. Nature Communications, 4. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3259

Hillman, D. R., & Lack, L. C. (2013). Public health implications of sleep loss: The community burden. Medical Journal of Australia, 199(8), S7–S10. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja13.10620

Mithril, C., Dragsted, L., Meyer, C., Blauert, E., Holt, M., & Astrup, A. (2012). Guidelines for the New Nordic Diet. Public Health Nutrition, 15, 1941–1947. https://doi.org/10.1017/S136898001100351X

Sofi, F., Cesari, F., Casini, A., Macchi, C., Abbate, R., & Gensini, G. (2014). Insomnia and risk of cardiovascular disease: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 21, 57–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487312460020

Thapa, A., Lahti, T., Maukonen, M., & Partonen, T. (2024). Consumption of fruits and vegetables and its association with sleep duration among Finnish adult population: A nationwide cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1319821. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1319821

Vgontzas, A. N., Liao, D., Pejovic, S., Calhoun, S., Karataraki, M., & Bixler, E. O. (2009). Insomnia With Objective Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 32(11), 1980–1985. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc09-0284

Wang, S., Rossheim, M. E., & Nandy, R. R. (2023). Trends in prevalence of short sleep duration and trouble sleeping among US adults, 2005–2018. Sleep, 46(1), zsac231. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsac231