Evaluation of the effects of sleep pattern and quality on body mass index, waist circumference and food choices

Sleep is a reversible condition in which the creature's response threshold increases to external stimuli. A good night's sleep is considered to be one of the most important components of health and quality of life at all ages. Systematic studies showed that short or long sleep duration are associated with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus and obesity. This study has been carried out in order to compare waist circumference, body mass index and food choices of individuals according to their sleep quality and the shift status. 202 individuals were participated in the study. A questionnaire was applied to participants and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores were evaluated and a sleep diary was filled. Waist circumferences were measured. All of the results were evaluated according to shift status and sleep quality. As result; according to shift status, non-shift workers' body mass index (BMI), weight and waist circumference were significantly higher than shift workers' and sex does not affect the relationship. The mean BMI values decreased and the waist circumference values increased as the shift frequency increased in women and in men, but in general the mean BMI and waist circumference values decreases as the shift frequency increased. Sleep quality was found to be significantly poor, especially for shift worker women and nurses. The participants with poor sleep quality and are non-shift worker have higher BMI values. Those with shift work and poor sleep quality have a lower tendency to have main meals and snacks regularly.