A Latent Class Analysis of the Association Between Dietary Patterns, Mental Health, and Sleep Quality in Overweight and Obese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Publisher



Gholami F¹ ; Barkhidarian B¹ ; Soveid N¹ ; Mirzababaei A¹ ; Hajiheidari A² ; Samadi M¹ ; Deghanpour F³ ; Yekaninejad MS⁴ ; Bahrampour N⁵ ; Clark CCT⁶ ; Mirzaei K^{1, 7}
Source: Nutrire Published:2023

Abstract

Background and aims: Mental health disorders, poor sleep quality, and obesity are common conditions, with major public health implications, that tend to co-occur within individuals. This study focused on the relationship between dietary patterns using LCA method and mental health and sleep quality in participants who were overweight or obese. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 376 overweight or obese women between the ages of 18 and 56 years. Reliable and valid standard protocols were used to measure body composition, anthropometric indices, and physical activity. Dietary patterns (DPs) were derived by latent class analysis (LCA) and mental health status was assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to subjectively measure the sleep quality of participants. Binary logistic regression was performed to investigate the associations of DPs with mental health parameters and sleep quality measurements. Setting: Health centers in Tehran, Iran. Results: The sample size of the present study was 307 overweight and obese women with a mean (SD) body mass index (BMI) of 31.02 (3.95) kg/m2. The study population’s mean (SD) age was 36.68 (9.50) years. By using latent class modeling (LCA), two dietary patterns (healthy and unhealthy) were identified. Those who consumed more fast food, sugary beverages, grains, unhealthy oil, butter, and margarine, as well as snacks, were categorized in the unhealthy class. A statistically significant relationship between an unhealthy dietary pattern and a higher PSQI score (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.03–2.74, P value = 0.03) was observed in the fully adjusted model. Also, in comparison to the “healthy dietary pattern,” the “unhealthy dietary pattern” was associated with a significantly lower level of physical activity (P = 0.005). No significant relationship between unhealthy dietary pattern and mental health including anxiety, stress, and depression was observed. Conclusion: While no significant associations were found between dietary patterns and depression, stress, and anxiety, following an unhealthy DP was associated with a higher PSQI score and lower sleep quality in overweight and obese Iranian women. More prospective studies should be conducted to confirm these findings in other populations. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.