Obesity and poor sleep quality – prevalences and risk factors from the LIFE-Adult-Study

Abstract Research has linked obesity to poor sleep. Yet, comprehensive large-scale studies are lacking. This study provides prevalence estimates of poor sleep quality among individuals with obesity and associated risk factors. The study sample comprised 1,416 individuals with obesity from the German population-based LIFE-Adult-Study. Assessments included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status (SES), alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, depressive/anxiety symptoms and fatigue, health-related quality of life. Sleep quality was measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Associations between poor sleep and potential risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression. Poor sleep was reported by 43.5% with prevalence presenting an inverted U-shaped pattern across age groups, peaking at age 50–59 years. Poor sleep quality was associated with female sex (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.15–2.03), low SES (OR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.08–2.52), smoking (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.01–1.93), frequent caffeine intake (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.23–2.09), depressive symptoms (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02–1.08), symptoms of anxiety (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.08–1.22) and fatigue (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01–1.04). Poor sleep quality is highly prevalent among individuals with obesity. Several additional associated factors were identified, highlighting particularly vulnerable subgroups.