Adults Who Are Overweight or Obese and Consuming an Energy-Restricted Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern at Either the Recommended or a Higher Protein Quantity Perceive a Shift from "Poor" to "Good" Sleep: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Limited evidence suggests that consuming a higher-protein diet during weight loss improves subjective indices of sleep in overweight and obese adults.

Objective: We sought to a priori assess the effects of consuming the recommended versus a higher protein Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern during energy-restriction on sleep quality indices.

Design: Using a randomized, parallel study design, 51 adults (mean ± SEM age: 47 ± 1 y; BMI: 32.6 ± 0.5 kg/m2) consumed a controlled USDA Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern containing 750 kcal/d less than their estimated energy requirement for 12 wk. Participants were randomly assigned to consume either 5 or 12.5 oz-equivalent (eq)/d of protein foods. The additional 7.5 oz-eq/d came from animal-based protein sources and displaced primarily grains. Objective (wrist-worn actigraphy) and subjective (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale) sleep quality indices were measured at baseline, week 6, and week 12.

Results: Among all participants, body mass decreased (-6.2 ± 0.4 kg). Dietary protein intake did not affect any objective or subjective sleep quality outcomes measured (repeated measures ANOVA). Over time, objective measures of time spent in bed, time spent sleeping, sleep onset latency, and time awake after sleep onset did not change; however, sleep efficiency improved (1 ± 1%; P = 0.027). Subjectively, global sleep scores [GSS: -2.7 ± 0.4 arbitrary units (au)] and daytime sleepiness scores (-3.8 ± 0.4 au; both P < 0.001) improved over time. The GSS improvement transitioned the participants from being categorized with "poor" to "good" sleep (GSS: >5 compared with ≤5 au of a 0-21 au scale; baseline 7.6 ± 0.4 au, week 12: 4.8 ± 0.4 au).

Conclusions: Although objective sleep quality may not improve, adults who are overweight or obese and poor sleepers may become good sleepers while consuming either the recommended or a higher-protein energy-restricted Healthy US-Style Eating Pattern. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03174769.

Keywords: cardiovascular; heart-health; melatonin secretion; sleep quality; weight-loss.