Measures of Poor Sleep Quality Are Associated With Higher Energy Intake and Poor Diet Quality in a Diverse Sample of Women From the Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep increases cardiovascular disease risk, and diet likely contributes to this relationship. However, there are limited epidemiological data on the relationship between measures of sleep quality and habitual dietary patterns. This study examined these associations in a diverse sample of women. METHODS AND RESULTS: Baseline data from 495 participants in the AHA Go Red for Women prospective cohort study (age: 20–76 years; 61% racial/ethnic minority) were examined. Sleep quality and sleep‐onset latency were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and insomnia using the Insomnia Severity Index. The validated Block Brief Food Frequency Questionnaire was used to assess diet quantity and quality. Linear regression models adjusted for confounding variables tested relationships between sleep and diet variables. Results showed that higher PSQI scores, indicative of poorer sleep quality, were associated with lower unsaturated fat intake (β=−0.14, P<0.05) and higher food weight (β=14.9, P=0.02) and added sugars consumed (β=0.44, P=0.04). Women with sleep‐onset latency >60 minutes had higher intakes of food by weight (β=235.2, P<0.01) and energy (β=426, P<0.01), and lower intakes of whole grains (β=−0.37, P=0.01) than women with sleep‐onset latency ≤15 minutes. Greater insomnia severity was associated with higher food weight (β=9.4, P=0.02) and energy (β=17, P=0.01) consumed and lower total (β=−0.15, P=0.01) and unsaturated fat intakes (β=−0.11, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Poor sleep quality was associated with greater food intake and lower‐quality diet, which can increase cardiovascular disease risk. Future studies should test whether promoting sleep quality could augment efforts to improve cardiometabolic health in women.