Association Between Food/Nutrient Intake and Sleep Quality in Middle Aged and Older Population

Association Between Food/Nutrient Intake and Sleep Quality in Middle Aged and Older Population

Sleep is essential to health. Quality of sleep, measure through indexes of sleep, is related to the incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and premature death. Sleep pattern changes as people age. They tend to have a harder time falling asleep and more trouble staying asleep than when they were younger. Studies have shown that food/nutrient intake may be associated with sleep duration, quality, and patterns. Singapore's population is aging rapidly and improving their indexes of sleep may result in their health promotion.

Sleep is essential to health and indexes of sleep including duration, quality, and patterning are related to the incidence of chronic diseases and premature death. Changes in sleep patterns are a part of the aging process and as people age, they tend to have a harder time falling asleep and more trouble staying asleep than when they were younger. Certain cross-sectional studies have shown that food/nutrient intake may be associated with sleep duration, quality, and patterns. In the last decade, Singapore's population has grown older. However, limited research examined the association between food/nutrient intake and indexes of sleep in middle-aged and older population in Singapore. Therefore, with a growing number of elderly, studies on improving their sleep quality can play a significant role in improving their quality of life. This is a cross-sectional study and subjects require a 1-day visit (one time visit ONLY). Generally healthy middle-aged and older population will be recruited and after the phone screening and validated subjects will complete the medical history questionnaire and to be brought on the day of visit. During the visit, subjects will stay approximately 3-h to complete the testing. After completing the consent form, fasting-state blood collection and general health assessment will be conducted. Then subjects will be asked to complete the questionnaires to assess sleep quality and dietary intake.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Ability to give an informed consent
2. Age 50 to 75 years
3. Not taking dietary supplements which may impact the outcome of the interests (I.e. dietary protein and vitamin supplements)
4. Not having significant dietary changes for the past 1 year (i.e. weight loss, vegetarian diet)
5. Having sufficient venous access to allow the blood collection
6. Willing to follow the study procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unable to give an informed consent
2. Age < 50 years
3. Taking dietary supplements which may impact the outcome of the interest (i.e. dietary proteins and vitamin supplements)
4. Having/had significant dietary changes for the past 1 year
5. Not having sufficient venous access to allow the blood collection
6. Unwilling to follow the study procedure