Sleep Loss Predisposes to Abdominal Visceral Obesity

A US randomized, controlled, crossover study in healthy, nonobese individuals revealed that sleep restriction combined with ad libitum food promotes excess energy intake, weight gain and particularly central accumulation of fat without changing energy expenditure. The study included 12 healthy, nonobese individuals (9 males, age range 19 to 39 years), with 21-day inpatient study comprising 4 days of acclimation, 14 days of experimental sleep restriction (4-hour sleep opportunity) or control sleep (9-hour sleep opportunity), and a 3-day recovery segment. Compared with control, participants with sleep restriction had more calories, protein and fat intake. Energy expenditure was unchanged. Participants gained significantly more weight when exposed to experimental sleep restriction than during control sleep. Total abdominal fat increased only during sleep restriction, with significant increases evident in both subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fat depots while changes in total body fat did not differ between conditions. The findings are in line with previous studies and indicate the role of sleep loss in central obesity. Source:  https://www.jacc.org/