Association between eating disorders and sleep duration among college students: Findings from the National Healthy Minds study

Abstract

Objectives

Explore associations between eating disorders (EDs) and sleep duration and the impact of depression symptoms (DSs) in American college students.

Participants

College students from 2018 to 2019 Healthy Minds Study.

Methods

Multivariate logistic regression evaluated associations between EDs (bulimia, anorexia, binge eating [BED]) and sleep duration. Stratified analyses assessed effect modification by DSs and gender.

Results

Students reporting any eating disorder had no greater risk of not recommended sleep duration during weekdays compared to those with no eating disorder history (Adjusted OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.89-1.13). However, subjects reporting BED were at greater risk of deficient sleep during weekends compared to those with no EDs (Adjusted OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01-1.58). This association was not impacted by DSs. However, all EDs were associated with not-recommended sleep duration among those who identified as other gender identity in comparison to those with no EDs.

Conclusion

Health educators should monitor academic performance in students with EDs for adequate sleep duration.

Keywords:

• College students
• depression diagnosis
• depression symptoms
• eating disorders (Anorexia Nervosa
• Binge eating disorder
• Bulimia nervosa)
• sleep duration

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of University of Michigan.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available free of charge from The Healthy Minds Study at https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/.