Association of Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet with self-reported sleep-disordered breathing (SDB): a cross-sectional study from China

Abstract

Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been associated with sleep quality. However, its relationship with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the association between the DASH diet and SDB using data from a community survey among adults in Suzhou, Eastern China. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the Suzhou Food Consumption and Health Survey in 2018-2020. Dietary intake was measured by a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The association between the DASH diet and SDB was estimated by multivariable logistic regression analysis. In addition, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to reinforce our findings. A total of 3939 participants were included in the final analysis. Participants in the upper quintile of the DASH score consumed more fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, whole grains, and dairy, and less sodium, red/processed meats, and sweetened beverages. The OR for the highest compared with the lowest quintile of the DASH score was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.88; P-trend=0.004) for SDB after multivariable adjustment. Of the eight DASH components, vegetables, nuts and legumes, and dairy products were inversely associated with SDB. The associations were similar in subgroups by age, gender, BMI, smoking, alcohol drinking, hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Adherence to the DASH diet was independently associated with decreased odds of self-reported SDB. Our novel results expand previous findings on diet and sleep and suggest the possibility of improving SDB by enhancing diet quality.

Healthier Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Better Sleep Quality among Shanghai Suburban Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The MD or DASH dietary pattern has been shown in earlier research to correlate increased intakes of fruits, vegetables, and legumes with better sleep characteristics [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. On the other hand, frequent use of sugar-rich beverages and a high red meat intake has been linked to detrimental effects on both the quantity and quality of sleep [ 49 ].…”