News release

From: American College of Physicians

Modest sleep loss linked to weight gain in adults with high cardiometabolic risk

A pooled analysis of two randomized trials found that decreasing sleep by just 1.5 hours each night was associated with increases in body weight, waist circumference, and sedentary time in adults with elevated cardiometabolic risk. The findings suggest that strategies to promote adequate sleep duration should be incorporated into weight management and cardiometabolic disease prevention programs. The results are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center pooled data from two randomized crossover trials including 95 adults aged 20 years and older with cardiometabolic risk factors who typically slept at least seven hours per night. Participants completed two sleep conditions: six weeks of usual sleep and six weeks of sleep reduced by 1.5 hours per night. The researchers measured changes in weight, waist circumference, body composition, activity levels, and energy balance biomarkers. During the sleep-restriction period, participants gained a small amount of weight, had slightly larger waist measurements, and spent more time sedentary compared with when they had their usual sleep. The findings indicate that prolonged modest reduction in sleep duration may contribute to gradual weight gain in adults at elevated risk for cardiometabolic disease, highlighting the importance of discussing sleep duration at health care visits.