Sleep restriction increases the neuronal response to unhealthy food in normal-weight individuals

Abstract

Context Sleep restriction alters responses to food. However, the underlying neural mechanisms for this effect are not well understood. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a neural system that is preferentially activated in response to unhealthy compared with healthy foods. Participants Twenty-five normal-weight individuals, who normally slept 7–9 h per night, completed both phases of this randomized controlled study. Intervention Each participant was tested after a period of five nights of either 4 or 9 h in bed. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in the fasted state, presenting healthy and unhealthy food stimuli and objects in a block design. Neuronal responses to unhealthy, relative to healthy food stimuli after each sleep period were assessed and compared. Results After a period of restricted sleep, viewing unhealthy foods led to greater activation in the superior and middle temporal gyri, middle and superior frontal gyri, left inferior parietal lobule, orbitofrontal cortex, and right insula compared with healthy foods. These same stimuli presented after a period of habitual sleep did not produce marked activity patterns specific to unhealthy foods. Further, food intake during restricted sleep increased in association with a relative decrease in brain oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activity observed in the right insula. Conclusion This inverse relationship between insula activity and food intake and enhanced activation in brain reward and food-sensitive centers in response to unhealthy foods provides a model of neuronal mechanisms relating short sleep duration to obesity.

Effects of sleep duration and sleep quality on prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A 5-year follow-up study in China

“…Recent studies have provided evidence that sleep restriction enhances susceptibility to food stimuli, especially for unhealthy food [30]. Spiegel and colleagues [31] reported a rise in subjective feelings of hunger and appetite after 2 days of sleep restricted to 4 h/night relative to approximately 9 h of sleep (habitual sleep).…”

Sleep patterns, diet quality and energy balance

“…Furthermore, two other recent studies reported that sleep restriction leads to increased activation of brain regions sensitive to food stimuli [60,61]. A subsequent study by St-Onge et al [62] showed that sleep restriction increases the neuronal response to unhealthy foods in normal-weight individuals. These new studies provide evidence that inadequate sleep enhances hedonic stimulus processing in the brain underlying the drive to consume foods, and are consistent with the notion that reduced sleep may lead to a greater propensity to overeat.…”

Identifying Technology Associated with Weight Status and Health Problems in Children Referred for Weight Management

“…Increased BMI z-score was associated with a greater number of fruits and vegetables eaten. Although we predicted children who ate fewer fruits and vegetables would have a higher BMI z-score since fruits and vegetables could be replaced with higher-caloric density foods, other research has found overweight status was not related to intake of fruits and vegetables [16].…”