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The relationship between short sleep duration and the development of metabolic abnormalities may be partly influenced by food preferences, show study findings.
The analysis revealed that a preference for high energy-dense food may partly explain the effects of short sleep duration on the incidence of obesity and cardiovascular diseases, say Aline Alves Santana (Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Brazil) and colleagues.
The team examined the sleep patterns and dietary habits of 58 obese individuals (body mass index [BMI] 30.0-39.9 kg/m2) with heart disease who were attending the Institute of Cardiology in Sao Paulo.
"As reported in other studies, short sleepers have a higher energy intake, suggesting that short sleepers may be more susceptible to weight gain and obesity," say the researchers.
