Journal of Preventive Medicine

Does Sleep Duration Differ By Diabetes Status in Middle-Aged Adults?

Purpose: Previous research established a relationship between sleep duration and diabetes outcomes, but there is currently insufficient research on the effect of diabetes status on sleep duration. The purpose of this study was to assess whether sleep duration differed by diabetes status in middle-aged males and females in the U.S. general population.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used 2016 data from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for males and females ages 40-65 years in Georgia (N=2352), Louisiana (N=2377), New Mexico (N=2832), and Oklahoma (N=2908). Multiple logistic regression analysis by state was conducted to assess the relationship between diabetes status and sleep duration while controlling for health status, health behaviors, socioeconomic status, and demographic factors in order to determine patterns in variable relations across similar samples.

Results: Across states, almost one-fourth of participants reported non-moderate sleep duration (less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours, 19%-24%) and less than one-fifth reported a diagnosis of diabetes (16%-18%). The results of multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that sleep duration was not significantly related to diabetes status across states. However, sleep duration was moderately and inversely related to number of health conditions in all four states, and moderately and positively related to mental health and physical activity in at least three of four states.

Conclusion: Overall, the results of this study indicate that sleep duration was not related to diabetes status in middleaged males and females in the general population. However, up to one-third of middle-aged adults reported two or more health conditions, mental health issues, and physical inactivity, and these were inversely related to moderate sleep duration. Thus, primary care providers should screen for sleep duration, health conditions, mental health, and physical activity in this target population if symptoms of any are present and educate and treat as comorbid conditions.

Author(s):

Graham EK, Alden BL, Kaur H, Wingo AR and Hartos JL

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