Association Between Dietary Fiber Intake and Sleep Disorders: Based on the NHANES Database

Abstract

ObjectiveUtilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database, the primary objective of this investigation was to examine the relationship between dietary fiber intake (DFI) and sleep disorders.MethodsFor analysis, data from three consecutive cycles of NHANES (2009–2014) were pooled. The independent variable of interest was DFI, while the dependent variable was sleep disorders. Weighted logistic regression was employed to model the relationship between the two variables. Subgroup analyses were conducted, stratified, and adjusted to explore the association between DFI and sleep disorders.ResultsThis study encompassed a cohort of 14,360 samples. Logistic regression results revealed a significant inverse association between higher DFI and the risk of sleep disorders (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98–1.00, p = 0.005). Stratified analysis demonstrated significant interactive effects of gender and physical activity on the association between DFI and sleep disorders (interaction p = 0.017, p = 0.061). Quartile‐stratified analysis of DFI showed that in the crude model, Q4 exhibited a significant protective impact against sleep disorders (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.59–0.97, p = 0.026). In model I, which adjusted for demographic characteristics only, Q3 (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56–0.98, p = 0.036) and Q4 (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.55‐0.90, p = 0.006) had significant protective effects on sleep disorders. Additionally, gender subgroup analysis revealed that DFI had a significant impact on the female population, particularly in postmenopausal women, and was more pronounced in subjects with BMI > 30 kg/m2 (p = 0.011). Within the physical activity subgroup, there was a certain effect of DFI on improving sleep disorders in individuals with low activity intensity.ConclusionIncreasing DFI had a protective effect in reducing the risk of sleep disorders. This protective effect may be more pronounced in the female population and individuals with low physical intensity.