Previously, researchers identified a correlation between ultra-processed foods (UPF) and health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. A new study has revealed that these products may also trigger chronic insomnia.
Ultra-processed foods are defined as any food products that undergo multiple stages of processing, are heavily modified to enhance flavor, and have a long shelf life.
They stand in stark contrast to natural products like fruits and vegetables, which are sold in their original form.
How the Study Was Conducted
An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the University of Paris-North in France, examined data from 38,570 adult volunteers as part of the NutriNet-Santé research project. The researchers specifically compared participants’ dietary information with their sleep patterns.
“As more and more products undergo intensive processing and insomnia becomes increasingly prevalent, it was crucial to assess whether diet could contribute to the deterioration or improvement of sleep quality,” noted Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutrition and sleep researcher at Columbia University in the U.S.
Together with her colleagues, she found a statistically significant link between high consumption of UPF and an increased risk of chronic insomnia. The researchers adjusted for socio-demographic factors, lifestyle, diet quality, and the mental health of the volunteers.
Overall, study participants derived about 16 percent of their daily energy from UPF. Meanwhile, 19.4 percent of the cohort reported symptoms of chronic insomnia. Interestingly, those participants had a higher intake of ultra-processed foods in their diets.
The researchers also discovered a more pronounced connection between UPF and insomnia in men, as reported by Science Alert.
Overall, the study assessed only specific moments in time and relied on self-reports. However, the large cohort size suggests that this connection warrants further investigation.
“It’s important to note that our analysis was cross-sectional and observational, and we did not evaluate longitudinal relationships,” stated French epidemiologist Pauline Ducan. According to her, given previous studies, particularly the established link between diet and sleep, it’s not surprising that UPF could affect our sleep quality.
Some of these researchers had previously linked the Mediterranean diet to a lower risk of insomnia. Thus, the new study adds to earlier findings.
Future epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies are expected to expand knowledge about the causal relationships between ultra-processed foods and sleep issues, the team believes.
The results of the study were published in The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.