Association between Sleep Quality and Body Weight Status in Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a new emerging situation that has dramatically impacted sleep quality and body weight status. This study aimed to determine the association between sleep quality and body weight status in Malaysian adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online cross-sectional study involved 427 Malaysian adults aged 18 to 59. The convenience sampling method was used. Sleep quality was assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Self-administered socio-demographic, height, and weight for BMI were obtained. Pearson correlation test was conducted to measure the association between sleep quality and body weight status using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 22.0. Results: A total of 78.5% of them were females, and 84.8% of Malaysian adults reported poor sleep quality. The participants’ mean global PSQI score and body mass index were 8.1 (±2.7) and 24.6 (±6.1) kg/m2, respectively. 8.0% were underweight, followed by 55.5% of normal BMI, 17.5% overweight, and 19.0% obese. The study showed a significant and positive correlation between global PSQI score and body mass index (r=0.137, p=0.005). Conclusion: Sleep quality is significantly associated with body weight status. Adults with poorer sleep quality should be targeted when promoting healthy body weight. Future research on the interventions to improve adults’ sleep quality is essential, particularly during the pandemic.