A study published within the journal BMC Public Health finds that poor adherence to the Mediterranean eating regimen and the presence of sleep disorders increase the chance of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease-related mortality within the US population.
Study: Sleep problem, Mediterranean eating regimen, and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a prospective cohort study. Image Credit: PrinceOfLove / Shutterstock
Background
Consumption of a poor-quality eating regimen is related to chronic, low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and nutrient deficiency. These aspects collectively increase the chance of chronic diseases and mortality.
The Mediterranean eating regimen accommodates high amounts of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, that are helpful dietary components with positive health effects. This particular eating regimen is thought to enhance cardiovascular health and reduce the chance of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and certain varieties of cancers.
While the Mediterranean eating regimen has been found to cut back the chance of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease-related mortality, and cancer mortality, studies investigating sleep disorders have shown that each longer and shorter sleep duration increases the chance of all-cause mortality and disease-specific mortality.
Dietary patterns and sleep disorders exhibit a bidirectional relationship. While food items containing melatonin are known to enhance sleep quality, foods wealthy in added sugar, saturated fats, and caffeine are known to affect each the standard and duration of sleep.
In the present study, scientists have investigated whether adherence to the Mediterranean eating regimen and the presence of sleep disorders have any synergistic effects on all-cause and disease-specific mortality within the US population.
Study design
The study was conducted on 23,212 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a national, cross-sectional survey conducted between 2005 and 2014 to evaluate the health and dietary status of the US population.
Two days of 24-hour dietary recall data from the survey was used to find out the common dietary intake of the participants. A 9-point evaluation rating, the choice Mediterranean eating regimen index, was used to find out adherence to the Mediterranean eating regimen. The index relies on estimating the intake of various food components, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, fish, pork, monosaturated/saturated fat ratio, and alcohol.
Based on the choice Mediterranean eating regimen rating, the participants were categorized into three groups, i.e., below median, median, and above median groups. Structured questionnaires were used to find out sleep problem and sleep duration.
The mortality assessment was conducted based on the National Death Index, which included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease-related mortality, and cancer-related mortality. The typical follow-up time for the patients was 111.6 days.
Essential observations
The connection evaluation between the choice Mediterranean eating regimen, sleep disorders, and mortality revealed that a lower alternative Mediterranean eating regimen and the presence of sleep disorders significantly increase the chance of all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality. Nonetheless, no significant association between eating regimen and sleep disorders was observed with cancer-related mortality.
A low alternative Mediterranean eating regimen combined with a sleep problem was related to a lower long-term mortality rate. The very best risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was observed amongst participants with each sleep disorders and a lower alternative Mediterranean eating regimen.
A major combined effect of the choice Mediterranean eating regimen and sleep problem was observed on cardiovascular mortality. Nonetheless, no such effect was observed on all-cause and cancer mortality.
A relatively higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was observed amongst participants with low to medium levels of other Mediterranean eating regimen along with sleep disorders. Nonetheless, no such effect was observed on cancer mortality.
Regarding different food components of the Mediterranean eating regimen, the study found a big interaction between whole grain intake and sleep problem for all-cause mortality. Similarly, an interaction was observed between fruit, whole grain, legume consumption, and sleep problem for cardiovascular mortality.
An interaction was also observed between alcohol consumption and sleep problem for cardiovascular mortality. Amongst participants with sleep disorders, moderate alcohol consumption was not found to cut back the chance of cardiovascular mortality.
Study significance
The study reveals that poor adherence to the Mediterranean eating regimen and the presence of sleep disorders collectively increase the chance of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality within the US population. Nonetheless, no such effect has been observed for cancer mortality.