Morning Affect, Eveningness, and Amplitude Distinctness: Associations with Sleep Parameters, Eating Habits,Dietary Intakes and Diet Quality of University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

ABS TRACT Objective: Studies in the literature evaluated the association between personality traits, sleep quality, and negative emotionality, and the circadian rhythm components of morning affect, eveningness, and amplitude of diurnal variation (distinctness). Associations between sleep parameters, eating habits, dietary intake, and diet quality, and circadian rhythm components were explored in the current study. Material and Methods: A sample of 605 Turkish university students participated in this study and completed a preliminary questionnaire related to sociodemographic characteristics, sleep parameters, and eating habits, and The Morningness-Eveningness Stability Scale improved. Also, their dietary intake was assessed with 24-hour dietary recall method. Results: Morning affect was positively correlated with number of main meals and snacks, energy, protein, total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids intakes, and consumption of eggs and nuts and negatively correlated with time to fall asleep during weekends, wake up time on weekdays and weekends. Distinctness generally showed the opposite associations. Eveningness exhibited positive associations with wake up time on weekdays and weekends, and negative associations with number of main meals and egg consumption. No statistically significant association was established between circadian rhythm components of morning affect, eveningness and amplitude of diurnal variation (distinctness), and diet quality of university students. Conclusion: Circadian rhythm components of morning affect and distinctness may both be more strongly related to dietary intakes of university students. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and establish the directions of possible causal relationships, which may help to develop personalised nutrition advice for university students.