“Diet Quality Linked to Reduced Sleep Apnea Risk in Midlife: Bogalusa Heart Study”

A recent study published in the journal Nutrients examines the link between diet quality and various sleep outcomes in the Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS). Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death in the United States and it is important to identify risk factors associated with the disease to reduce its occurrence. Certain lifestyle-associated risk factors, such as diet and sleep, can be modified to lower CVD risks. In fact, a balanced diet has been shown to prevent CVD development and high-quality diets are associated with improved outcomes of sleep. The present cross-sectional study investigates the association between diet quality and different sleep outcomes in the BHS study cohort of white and black adults of both sexes. Out of 1,298 individuals, the final sample cohort included 824 individuals. The participants’ mean age was 48 years, 30% were black, 36% were men, and over 50% were obese. Higher food quality, as determined using AHEI 2010 scores, was related to a reduced sleep apnea risk score post-adjustment. There was no significant relationship between HEI 2015, aMed, insomnia symptoms, or a good sleep score. Higher food quality was associated with reduced sleep apnea risk scores among semi-rural, lower-income populations in the southeastern U.S. These findings elucidate how diet quality affects sleep and support the incorporation of high-quality food products into health interventions that may improve the efficacy of sleep therapies while simultaneously reducing the risk of developing CVD.