The relationship between sleep duration and obesity among risky drinking workers: using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey.

Background: The association between sleep duration and obesity risk among risky drinkers remains controversial. This study aims to investigate the relationship between adequate sleep duration and both central and overall obesity among risky drinkers in Korea, with a focus on identifying potential interventions to reduce obesity rates.

Methods: We analyzed data from 978 individuals, selected from 1,356 risky drinkers-as defined by the World Health Organization criteria-who participated in the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Participants had no missing values and were engaged in economic activities. Demographic characteristics and key variables by obesity status were examined using frequency analysis and chi-square tests. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between sleep duration and obesity. To account for the stratified sampling design, we utilized complex sample analysis with weighted values.

Results: Risky drinkers with adequate sleep duration (7-9 hours) were less likely to be obese based on waist circumference (≥90 cm in males; ≥85 cm in females) (odds ratio [OR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.86) and body mass index (≥25 kg/m2) (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41-0.76). Trend analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between sleep duration and obesity likelihood (P for trend <0.05). Gender-stratified analysis demonstrated that the association was significant among males and more pronounced in risky drinkers compared to the general population.

Conclusion: This study suggests that adequate sleep duration may play a key role in reducing obesity rates among Korean male risky drinkers. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to strengthen this finding.