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Association Between Obesity and Poor Sleep: A Review of Epidemiological Evidence

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Pathophysiology of Obesity-Induced Health Complications

Part of the book series: Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease ((ABHD,volume 19))

Abstract

Sleep is a multifaceted biological process linked with biochemical pathways of growth, maturation, and energy homeostasis. Due to the growing complaints of poor sleep in the general population, there has been a significant increase in sleep research aiming to identify the determinants of poor sleep. This review aims to explore the current state of the knowledge on obesity-sleep association and evaluate the role of weight loss in sleep improvement and vice versa. Current evidence suggests three directions of association between obesity and sleep: obesity leading to poor sleep, poor sleep leading to obesity and co-occurrence of obesity and poor sleep. People with obesity often report poor sleep, and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and poor sleepers are often overweight or obese. Weight gain is not only associated with poor sleep and OSA prevalence but also affects the severity of OSA. Poor sleep, specifically OSA, affects metabolic hormones and influence behavioural pathways favouring unhealthy lifestyle leading to further worsening of obesity. Weight loss has shown potential in improving the quality of sleep, reducing OSA severity and decreasing metabolic abnormalities related to obesity. However, weight management is yet to be established as a clinical intervention with a long-lasting effect in improving sleep. Evidence also suggests that improvement in sleep quality lowers the odds of future obesity. Despite, the growing evidence base, the current literature has methodological limitations and fails to establish a causal link between obesity and poor sleep. Nonetheless, it is prudent to advise that weight management should be an important component of the clinical management plans for improving sleep.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Rural and Remote Health (Mount Isa), James Cook University, Mount Isa, QLD, 4825, Australia

    Yaqoot Fatima

  2. Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Abdullah Al Mamun

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Timothy Skinner

Authors
  1. Yaqoot Fatima
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  2. Abdullah Al Mamun
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  3. Timothy Skinner
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Correspondence to Yaqoot Fatima .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Asper Clinical Research Institute and Office of Clinical Research, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Paramjit S. Tappia

  2. Asper Clinical Research Institute and Office of Clinical Research, St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Bram Ramjiawan

  3. Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

    Naranjan S. Dhalla

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Fatima, Y., Mamun, A.A., Skinner, T. (2020). Association Between Obesity and Poor Sleep: A Review of Epidemiological Evidence. In: Tappia, P., Ramjiawan, B., Dhalla, N. (eds) Pathophysiology of Obesity-Induced Health Complications. Advances in Biochemistry in Health and Disease, vol 19. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35358-2_9

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