Study Links Chronic Insomnia to Ultra-Processed Foods

New research indicates that ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are associated with conditions like heart disease and diabetes, may also play a role in chronic insomnia.

These ultra-processed foods (UPFs) undergo significant modifications to enhance taste, enable mass production, or prolong shelf life, in contrast to whole foods like fruits and vegetables.

Researchers from Sorbonne Paris Nord University in France examined data from 38,570 adults participating in the NutriNet-Santé research project, correlating dietary habits with sleep patterns.

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutrition and sleep scientist at Columbia University, underscores the importance of investigating whether diet influences sleep quality, especially amid increasing UPF consumption and prevalent sleep disturbances.

Insight into UPF Consumption and Chronic Insomnia Risk

The study revealed a notable link between higher UPF intake and heightened risk of chronic insomnia, even after adjusting for various factors like demographics, lifestyle, diet quality, and mental health.

While participants derived 16 percent of their daily energy from UPFs, 19.4 percent reported chronic insomnia symptoms, with this group showing a higher UPF consumption.

Although the study primarily focused on cross-sectional and observational data, it signals a need for further exploration into the relationship between UPFs and sleep disturbances.

Epidemiologist Pauline Duquenne emphasizes that while the study did not establish causality, it represents the first of its kind and contributes to understanding the effects of UPFs.

Highlighting the Impact of Dietary Choices on Sleep Patterns

Given previous research and the established connections between diet and sleep, the association between UPFs and chronic insomnia risk underscores the potential impact of dietary choices on sleep patterns.

Previously, some of the researchers had identified a connection between the Mediterranean diet and reduced insomnia risk, suggesting a different aspect of this association in the current study.

The reason behind this relationship remains unclear. Connecting ultra-processed foods (UPFs) to weight gain seems straightforward because of their high-calorie content, but we need to investigate further to understand how these foods might affect sleep patterns.

The researchers highlight the need for future prospective epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies to better understand causality and underlying mechanisms, as stated in their published paper.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

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