Association between vitamin D, depression, and sleep health in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys: a mediation analysis

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to assess the association between vitamin D and sleep health and to investigate whether depression could mediate this relationship.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was performed using the 2005–2014 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. The logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate association of serum vitamin D concentrations with sleep health and depression. Mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the mediated effects of depression on the association of vitamin D with sleep health.

Results

In multivariate logistic models, vitamin D was found to be negatively associated with an increased risk of poor sleep health, with an odds ratio (OR) of vitamin D deficiency versus sufficiency was 1.256 (95% CI = 1.084–1.455). Additionally, univariate logistic models showed that vitamin D was also negatively associated with depression risk (vitamin D deficiency vs. sufficiency: OR = 1.699, 95% CI = (1.373–2.103). Further mediation analyses showed that the association of vitamin D with sleep health was mediated by depression, with the mediating effects of depression accounted for 44.56% of the total effects.

Conclusion

Vitamin D affects sleep health directly and indirectly through depression. The results suggest that interventions increasing intake of vitamin D should be prioritized to promote sleep health of persons with or at risk of depression.

KEYWORDS:

• Vitamin D, depression, sleep health, mediation effect, NHANES

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Availability of data and materials

The data used in this study are publicly available as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which is distributed and sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/index.htm).

Ethics approval

The work presented in this manuscript is not considered human subjects research because it used only de-identified, publicly available data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and is therefore not subject to IRB review.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was involved in this study.

Notes on contributors

Jingliang Shuai

Jingliang Shuai is a master student with a background in the School of Public Health. The major is Epidemiology and Health Statistics. The research directions include birth cohort research, health data management and evaluation, community health service research, and the application of comprehensive evaluation in medicine.

Mengqi Gao

Mengqi Gao is the master student with a background in the School of Public Health. The major is Nutrition and food hygiene. The main research direction is epidemiological research and mechanism exploration on the relationship between nutritional diet and health.

Qi Zou

Qi Zou is a doctor with a background in the School of Public Health. The major is Public Health. The main research direction is epidemiological based detection and early warning of pathogenic microorganisms.

Youming He

Youming He is a master student with a background in the School of Public Health. The major is Epidemiology and Health Statistics. The main research direction is epidemiological research and mechanism exploration on the relationship between nutritional diet and health.