Sedentary/active Behaviors And Cardiometabolic Risk: Protective Effects Of Sleep Duration, Nhanes 2005-2006

Optimal sleep duration (7-8h), moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and light-intensity activity are beneficially associated with cardiometabolic outcomes and related biomarkers, while sedentary time and long (≥9h) or short (<7h) sleep duration are detrimentally associated.

Purpose This study examined whether sleep duration modified the relationship between both sedentary/active behaviors and cardiometabolic risk biomarkers.

Methods Adult (≥20 years) data (n=2185 full; n=923 fasting sub-analyses) from the cross-sectional 2005-06 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. Interactions were tested of self-reported sleep duration (≤5, 6, 7, 8, ≥9h/day) with time spent sedentary, in light activity and in MVPA (derived from ActiGraph accelerometry) in associations with non-fasting (waist circumference, blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, and C-reactive protein) and fasting (LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessments [HOMA- %B, HOMA-%S]) biomarkers, adjusted for confounders.

Results No difference by sleep duration was observed in most associations between sedentary/active behaviors and biomarkers (p>0.1). Associations of sedentary time with systolic (p=0.008) and diastolic (p=0.09) blood pressure differed by sleep duration, with stronger associations in ≤6h vs. 7h sleepers. Associations of light activity with HDL-cholesterol (p=0.03), HOMA-%B (p=0.09), and HOMA-%S (p=0.06) differed by sleep duration, with stronger associations in ≤5h vs. 7h sleepers. Associations of MVPA with triglycerides (p=0.04) differed by sleep duration, with stronger associations in 7h vs. ≤6h and ≥8h sleepers.

Conclusions The relationship between sedentary/active behaviors and cardiometabolic risk was largely similar across levels of sleep duration. In some cases, however, sleep duration modified the effect of sedentary/active behaviors on cardiometabolic outcomes such that those with optimal sleep duration were protected against negative cardiometabolic outcomes. This research underscores the value of both less sedentary and more active behaviors in lowering cardiometabolic risk and reaffirms the independent and robust effect of sleep duration on these same outcomes.