The Association of Sleep Duration, Chronotype, Social Jetlag, Night Eating Syndrome, Depression and Anxiety to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract Objective Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the association between chronotype, social jetlag (SJL), sleep duration, night eating syndrome, and mood disorders with the presence of GDM. Methods This prospective observational comparative study included 170 pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation (85 with GDM and 85 controls). Participants completed the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Social Jetlag Status Determination Form, Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Group comparisons were performed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric tests. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent predictors of GDM. Results Social jetlag ≥ 2 h, higher depression and anxiety scores, morning chronotype, and sleep duration ≤ 7 h were more frequent in the GDM group in unadjusted analyses ( p < 0.05). However, in the multivariable model, only body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.03–1.30, p = 0.013) and sleep duration (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.21–0.50, p < 0.001) remained independently associated with GDM. Psychological scores, social jetlag, chronotype, and CRP were not independently associated after adjustment. Conclusion Short sleep duration and higher BMI were independently associated with GDM, whereas mood symptoms and social jetlag did not demonstrate independent effects after adjustment. These findings suggest that adequate sleep duration may represent a potentially modifiable factor related to GDM risk. Further large-scale prospective studies are needed to confirm these associations.