Association of body composition and sleep behaviours in young Saudi females: A cross sectional survey

1. Syeda Fatima Bushra2; Shahida Banu Shamshuddeen2 ; Eyad
Alshammari1; Epuru Suneetha1 Rafia Bano 2
Affiliation: 1Asst. Prof, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia
2Lecturer, University of Hail, Saudi Arabia

2.  Growing evidence both from laboratory and epidemiological studies points to abnormal sleep
behaviours as a independent risk factor for the development of obesity and metabolic
complications across all age groups 1,2,3.
Objective :
 To cross-sectionally assess associations between body composition and sleep behaviours in a
sample of young Saudi females
Methodology
 Study Design: Cross Sectional Study ( Data collected between Oct 2014 – Mar 2015).
 Study Area: College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Hail, Female Campus
 Ethics: Deanship of Research, University of Hail has approved the study protocol.
 Methods:
 Participants (n=450, females , age 19 to 25 yrs) were studied for sleep patterns for one week
with the help of sleep diaries and week day sleep debt was calculated along with weekend
sleep coping practices. Information obtained was crosschecked for their usual sleep
behaviours and only those who confirmed routine similar behaviours were included into
analysis .
 Final sample included was 422 after checking for missing data.
 Participants were grouped into one of three groups
 (normal sleep for week days and weekends (7- 9 hrs) (NS);
 sleep debt week days (< 7 hrs] and sleep coping on weekends (> 9 hrs) (SDW with
coping weekend);
 and sleep debt week days and weekends (< 7 hrs] (SD).
 Adiposity markers were measured using Bioelectric impedance analysis (BioSpace, Inbody
720).
 Statistical Analysis:
 Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(version 16.0, SPSS, Inc) software. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square analysis
was used to examine differentials in variables.

3. 22.41
100.74
25.48
38.55
0.89
86.84
97.91
34.81
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Mean Age, Glucose and
Anthropometric Variables +/- 1 SD
19.7
47.2
33.2
7.3
28
64.7
0 20 40 60 80
8-10pm10pm-12am>12am
Bed Timings of the Students
Weekends Week Days

4. 68.2
27
4.7
8.5
49.1
42.4
55.2
38.4
6.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
<7 hrs 7-9 hrs >9 hrs
Night Sleep Debt
Week Days Weekends
Average per day
37.9
37.7
24.4
7.8
46
46.2
28
41.9
30.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
<7 hrs 7-9 hrs >9 hrs
Overall Sleep Debt
Week Days Weekends
Average per day

5. 53.9
52.2
49.4
46.9
11.6
13.2
13.1
12.3
31.5 31.6
30.3
28.5
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Body Composition And Bed Timings
Normal BMI Normal PBF Normal WHR
55.3
51.9
48.3
45.7
34 34.2
34.3
34.3
58.8 57.5
54.4
51.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
NormalNC Normal WC Normal VF
Body Composition And Bed Timings

7. 25.45
39.74
0.88
25.81 38.94 0.89
27…
39…
0.90
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
BMI PBF WHR
Mean Body Compositions with
± 1 SD and Bed Timings
8-10 pm 10pm-12-am >12pm
34.44
86.66
97.10
35.13
87.81
102.65
36.20
90.47
107.48
0.00
20.00
40.00
60.00
80.00
100.00
120.00
140.00
160.00
NC WC VF
Mean Body Compositions with ±
1SD and
Bed Timings
8-10 pm 10pm-12-am >12pm

8. 26.5
26.7
27.63
25.36
25.36
25.56
25.24
25.71
25.42
WNSdebt AveNSdebt AveSdebt
Mean BMI Vs. Sleep Debt
< 7hrs 7-9hrs >9hrs
35.67
35.89
36.54
34.75
34.65
34.96
34.13
34.72
34.69
WNSdebt AveNSdebt AveSdebt
Mean NC Vs. Sleep Debt
< 7hrs 7-9hrs >9hrs

9. 89.31
89.84
92.18
86.84
86.66
86.99
85.5
87.22
86.77
WNSdebt AveNSdebt AveSdebt
Mean WC Vs. Sleep Debt
< 7hrs 7-9hrs >9hrs
105.83
108.47
117.57
98.22
96.07
97.67
92.73
98.59
96.12
WNSdebt AveNSdebt AveSdebt
Mean VF Vs. Sleep Debt
< 7hrs 7-9hrs >9hrs

10. The main findings of the study suggest that the female subjects
participated in this study have less than 7 hrs of sleep during weekdays
while they tried to catch up with lost sleep hrs during weekends or day
time. Results suggest a strong link between all obesity markers except for
percent body fat with short sleep duration. In conclusion, Young females
with abnormal sleep timings and sleep patterns may be at high risk for
future risk for complications of obesity.
Therefore, it is important to identify short sleepers, especially in younger
women as early as possible and give them proper counselling on
importance of having proper sleep patterns.
References :
1. Kristen L. Knutson and Eve Van Cauter. Associations between
sleep loss and increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Ann N Y
Acad Sci. 2008; 1129: 287–304.
2. Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Role of sleep and sleep loss in hormonal
release and metabolism. Endocr Dev. 2010;17:11-21.
3. Taheri S, Lin L, et al Short sleep duration is associated with
reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index.
PLoS Med 2004;1:e62.