The association between dietary polyphenols intake and sleep quality, and mental health in overweight and obese women

Background

Sleep disorders and mental health issues, including stress, depression, and anxiety, affect many people worldwide, specifically overweight and obese women. This study examined the association between dietary polyphenol intake and mental health, and sleep disorders in overweight and obese women.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 278 overweight and obese women from Tehran, Iran. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 21-question version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to assess the sleep quality and mental health of participants, respectively. The dietary polyphenol intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) with 147 food items. Anthropometric measurements, body composition analysis, and biochemical parameters were measured according to standard guidelines.

Results

After controlling for confounders, the higher polyphenol intake was inversely associated with depression (OR=0.744, 95%CI=0.413, 1.338, P-value=0.046) and stress (OR=0.341, 95%CI=0.158, 0.736, P-value=0.006). Furthermore, the DASS score and PSQI score were negatively associated with dietary polyphenols (P-trend=0.063, P-trend=0.074, respectively). No association was found between anxiety and dietary polyphenol intake.

Conclusions

Findings showed that dietary polyphenol intake is associated with sleep quality, mental health, and its components, including depression and stress. However, no statistically significant association was found between dietary polyphenol intake and anxiety.