Association between weekly sleep duration and gallstones in a US-based adult sample: A cross-sectional study

Sleep disorders and gallstone disease represent significant public health concerns, yet their potential association remains poorly understood. In particular, the association between weekly sleep duration and gallstone risk in adults has not been thoroughly investigated. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2021-2023) were analyzed in a cross-sectional study examining weekly sleep duration and gallstone risk. Advanced multivariate regression models were employed to comprehensively analyze and adjust for potential confounders. To ensure robustness, smooth curve fitting and a three-piece threshold effect analysis were performed. Additionally, stratified analyses by gender and hypercholesterolemia status were conducted to explore potential subgroup differences. The study included 3897 adult participants with a gallstone prevalence of 6.04%. After full adjustment for potential confounders, weekly sleep duration showed a significant inverse association with gallstone risk (adjusted OR = 0.961, 95% CI: 0.942-0.981). Subgroup analyses by gender and hypercholesterolemia status consistently revealed this negative association. Notably, smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis demonstrated a distinct segmented relationship between weekly sleep duration and gallstone risk. Our study reveals a significant inverse correlation between weekly sleep duration and gallstone prevalence among U.S. adults, with particularly pronounced associations observed in males and individuals with hypercholesterolemia.