There has been an emergence in data supporting a connection between sleep and an individual’s diet, leading researchers to explore the link between sleep duration and the intake of fruit and vegetables.

A new analysis of previous studies revealed that less sleep was linked with a heightened risk of obesity by 45% in concurrence with a diminished consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Researchers from Leeds University in England performed an observational study to explore this link between sleep duration and fruit and vegetable intake as there was a dearth of research on this subject. They published their findings in BMJ Open.

The study included 1612 individuals from the age of 19 to 65 who maintained a diary to record their sleep and consumption of fruits and veggies for four days. The findings from this observation presented that protracted sleepers took 28g per day lesser fruit and vegetables contrasted to adults who sleep for seven to eight hours a day. On the contrary, small sleepers ate 24g less fruit and vegetables a day than those who slumbered seven to eight hours.

The results therefore establish the connection between fruit and vegetable intake and duration of sleep. The researchers signify the promising applications of this association for lifestyle and behavioral modifying regimens.

The limitations of this study, however, should not be overlooked. The participants reported the observations themselves which have high chances of over-reporting. Moreover, such studies are cross-sectional studies which can only determine associations and not causal relationships between variables.

Nonetheless, there is a definite suggestion from this study regarding the link between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and sleeping periods. Further research on this subject is imperative to back and validate the findings of this new study.