14 May STUDY: SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN INCREASE BODY WEIGHT AND LEAD TO CENTRAL OBESITY
A new study has shown that sleep deprivation promotes an excessive intake of energy. The increase of the body weight and especially the concentration of fat that has been found, suggest that sleep deprivation can dispose the body towards abdominal visceral obesity.
Sleep deprivation increases body weight, promotes an excessive intake of energy without altering energy expenditure and thus leading to central obesity, according to a new study by Mayo Clinic in the USA, recently published in the international scientific magazine Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). The study included 12 healthy, non obese persons – more specifically, 9 men and 3 women aged 19 to 39 years old.
This is a randomized, controlled, crossover study of 21 days with 4 days acclimation period, 14 days experimental sleep restriction (4 hours of sleep in total) or sleep control (opportunity of 9 hours of sleep) and a 3-day period of restoration. Since this is a crossover study, all individuals took part in all the stages of the study, which means each were compared to themselves. Repeated measurements of energy intake, energy expenditure, body weight, body composition, fat distribution, and other biomarkers were recorded.
It was found that in the restricted sleep stage the participants were consuming more calories, increasing their protein and fat intake, while energy expenditure remained the same. Additionally, the participants gained statistically significantly more body weight, when exposed to the experimental sleep restriction. While the alterations in the total body weight were not different between the two conditions of sleep, the total abdominal fat was increased while the restricted sleep stage, with significant increase, apparent in the hypodermic but also the visceral abdominal fat.
In conclusion, this study has showed that sleep deprivation promotes an excessive energy intake without altering energy expenditure. The increase of body weight and especially the central accumulation found, suggest that sleep deprivation predisposes individuals to abdominal visceral obesity. Visceral fat is considered an important risk factor to the appearance of insulin resistance, while it increases the danger of cardiovascular diseases.
* As mentioned by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the above summary of the study has been conducted by the following professors of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens: Stavroula (Lina) Paschou (Assistant Professor of Endocrinology), Nikolaos Tentolouris (Professor of Pathology), Erifili Chatziaggelaki (Professor of Pathology-Metabolic Diseases), Alexandros Kokkinos Κόκκινος (Professor of Pathology), Melpomeni Peppa (Professor of Endocrinology), Charalampos Vlachopoulos (Professor of Cardiology), Theodora Psaltopoulou (Professor of Therapeutic – Epidemiology – Preventive Medicine) and Thanos Dimopoulos (Professor of Therapeutic – Hematology – Oncology and Chancellor of NKUA).
Source: Athens-Macedonian News Agency