The role of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in obesity

Abstract

Traditional risk factors for obesity and the metabolic syndrome, such as excess energy intake and lack of physical activity, cannot fully explain the high prevalence of these conditions. Insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment predispose individuals to poor metabolic health and promote weight gain and have received increased research attention in the past 10 years. Insufficient sleep is defined as sleeping less than recommended for health benefits, whereas circadian misalignment is defined as wakefulness and food intake occurring when the internal circadian system is promoting sleep. This Review discusses the impact of insufficient sleep and circadian misalignment in humans on appetite hormones (focusing on ghrelin, leptin and peptide-YY), energy expenditure, food intake and choice, and risk of obesity. Some potential strategies to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disruption on metabolic health are provided and future research priorities are highlighted. Millions of individuals worldwide do not obtain sufficient sleep for healthy metabolic functions. Furthermore, modern working patterns, lifestyles and technologies are often not conducive to adequate sleep at times when the internal physiological clock is promoting it (for example, late-night screen time, shift work and nocturnal social activities). Efforts are needed to highlight the importance of optimal sleep and circadian health in the maintenance of metabolic health and body weight regulation.

Association of Chinese Visceral Adiposity Index and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Steelworkers: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, the difference is that in our study, the cut-off value of CVAI was higher, which may be due to the fact that our study subjects were steelworkers. It has been shown that steelworkers have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than the general population due to their special occupational factors such as shift work, noise, and occupational stress in their production and living environment [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. In addition, most of the steelworkers are middle-aged men.…”

Wearable-based Physical Activity as a Digital Biomarker of Inflammation, Biological Age, and Mortality: A Hierarchical Clustering Analysis of NHANES 2011-2014

“…Unlike physical activity or nutrition, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how to utilize or correct biological timing for health bene ts 44,45 . Current public health interventions are largely focusing on increasing physical activity levels or eating healthy, with less attention on targeting the clock.…”

Evaluating the Relationship between Circadian Rhythms and Sleep, Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disorders: Current Clinical Evidence in Human Studies

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