Determination of the relationship between sleep quality and body composition and dietary glycemic index in Health Sciences Faculty students

This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted to determine the relationship between sleep quality and body composition and dietary glycemic index in students of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The sample of the study consisted of 250 students studying at SANKO University Faculty of Health Sciences in the 2023-2024 academic year. Socio-demographic characteristics, health, medication use, dietary behaviors were determined using a questionnaire form and sleep quality was determined using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Glycemic Index (GI) of the diet was determined and evaluated by using the carbohydrate amount and GI value of the foods consumed with the three-day food consumption record taken by the researcher. The data obtained were analyzed using the Social Sciences Package Statistical Program and the significance level was taken as p<0.05. Of the students participating in the study, 78% were female and 22% were male. Sleep quality was good in 24,8% and poor in 75,2% of the students. The average Body Mass Index (BMI) of students with good sleep quality was 22,5±3,4 kg/m2 and 23,7±4,3 kg/m2 for students with poor sleep quality. There was no statistically significant difference between sleep quality and body fat mass and fat ratio, fat-free mass and fat-free mass ratio, total fluid weight and fluid ratio (p>0.05). All of the students with good sleep quality and 94.1% of the students with poor sleep quality had high dietary GI. There is a very weak negative correlation between the average sleep quality score of the students and the GI of their diet (r=-0.128, p<0.05). Studies should be conducted to determine the relationship between sleep quality and body weight and dietary intake of university students, and students should be made aware of the positive effects of sleep on health and the importance of sleep quality.