Associação da alimentação noturna com a qualidade do sono e insônia em adultos brasileiros

Abstract

Recent studies on chrononutrition, the science that examines the timing aspects of eating, have shown that late food consumption, or eating close to bedtime, may increase the risk of sleep-related issues and contribute to circadian misalignment, which, in turn, can lead to the development of various chronic conditions. Although there is evidence suggesting a relationship between evening eating and sleep disturbances, definitive conclusions have not yet been reached. To address these gaps, our study aimed to investigate the relationship of: a) the timing of evening meals and the elapsed time between the last eating event and the midpoint of sleep (referred to as TEM), b) caffeine consumption, c) consumption of sugary foods and beverages, and d) reporting dinner as the largest meal of the day, with sleep quality indicators and insomnia. Data from the first and second phases of the SONAR-Brazil Virtual and Exploratory Survey were used, involving 2,050 Brazilian adults (ages 18-65), who were non-pregnant and residing in the country. The responses were stored in Excel spreadsheets and subsequently exported to Stata 13 (Stata Corporation) for statistical analysis. Multiple logistic regression models were employed to analyze the association between sleep duration < 7 hours, sleep latency > 30 minutes, poor sleep quality, and insomnia (outcomes) with variables related to evening diet. Linear regression analyses assessed differences in sleep duration and latency associated with these variables. Restricted cubic splines were used to explore the relationship between meal timing and TEM with sleep duration and latency. Each additional hour in the timing of the last eating event and the interval between the last eating event and the midpoint of sleep increased and decreased, respectively, the odds of short sleep duration (by 30% and 49%), sleep latency > 30 minutes (by 14% and 12%), poor sleep quality (by 21% and 20%), and insomnia (by 12% and 11%). We found a dose-response association between evening eating (timing and TEM) and sleep duration, with the shortest sleep latency observed when the last eating event occurred around 8 PM and 7 to 8 hours before the midpoint of sleep. Additionally, participants who reported dinner as the largest meal of the day and those who consumed caffeine and/or sugary foods and beverages after 6 PM had higher odds of having a sleep duration < 7 hours (51%, 34%, and 94%, respectively), perceiving sleep quality as poor (52%, 33%, and 25%, respectively), and experiencing insomnia (all 35%). The odds of sleep latency > 30 minutes were also 47% higher when dinner was the largest meal and 24% higher among those reporting evening consumption of sugary foods and beverages. These associations were independent of age, sex, region, physical exercise frequency, BMI, marital status, and education level. Our findings underscore the importance of considering evening meal timing and patterns, along with established sleep hygiene and circadian practices, to promote healthy sleep and aid in the prevention and treatment of sleep disturbances.