(P19-007-23) Sleep Duration and Added Sugar Intake in Mexican University Students and Staff

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between added sugars (AS) intake and sleep duration in Mexican adults.

Methods: Healthy subjects (n=72; 36 women and 36 men, 18 - 50 y, BMI 18.5 – 39.9 kg/MM²) from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, will participate in this free-living study. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical data will be used for characterization. During the 4-week study period, participants complete a 7-day actigraphy record, and four 24-h dietary recall. Sleep duration is objectively assessed using the MotionWare® software, and to estimate AS intake the work team created a food composition table containing updated AS content for 1736 food items. Protocol was approved by the ethics and research committee of the Faculty of Nutrition and Gastronomy. Data, analyzed by ANOVA and ANCOVA with energy intake (kcal/d) and age (y) as covariates, are presented as mean ± SD.

Results: Twenty-one subjects (13 W, 8 M) completed the study. The sample was categorized into three groups, based on sleep duration: A) 4 - ≤5 h (n=6); B) >5 - ≤6 h (n=8); and C) >6 - ≤ 7 h (n=7). Age (27.1 ± 8.2 y), BMI (25.3 ± 2.7 kg/M²), and waist circumference (84.72 ± 9.38 cm), were equivalent among groups (P≥0.05). Body fat was greater in group C (37.2 ± 5.3 %) than in group A (22.2 ± 8.0 %) (P=0.013).

Sleep analysis showed a sleep duration of 5:34 ± 0:48 h:mm (95% IC: 5:12, 5:56 h:mm), sleep duration was greater in group C than in A and B (P=0.000): A) 4:35 ± 0:18 h:mm; B) 5:28 ± 0:14 h:mm, and C) 6:30 ± 0:14 h:mm.  

Dietary analysis showed higher intake of energy and carbohydrates in group A (P≥0.05). Data are presented as the mean of four days: Energy, kcal/d: A) 2401.1 ± 443.0, B) 2016.6 ± 749.8, and C) 1790.9 ± 348.7; carbohydrates, g/d: A) 275.2 ± 44.5, B) 242.0 ± 74.9, and C) 202.7 ± 35.7. Added sugar (g/d) showed a trend to a greater intake in group A) 63.8 ± 23.3; than B) 60.5 ± 35.1, and C) 51.75 ± 14.53 (P=0.071).

Conclusions: Participants were all short sleepers (5 - ≤7 h), however participants with the shortest sleep duration (4 - ≤5 h) showed a higher intake of energy and carbohydrates.

A bigger sample and deeper analyses are needed for concluding if added sugar intake could have any interaction with sleep duration in this population.

Funding Sources: International Atomic Energy Agency & Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa