People who are obese could have sleep problems that lead to mood disturbances and a lower quality of life, a new study has suggested.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham analysed 270 patients with a mean body mass of 47.0 kg/m2 and a mean age of 43 years.
Questionnaires revealed that three-quarters were poor sleepers, with a mean duration of only six hours and 20 minutes a night. This is significantly less than the recommended seven to nine hours for adults.
Furthermore, 52 per cent of participants were anxious and 43 per cent were depressed.
The study authors said in the journal Sleep that there was a clear correlation between sleep issues and psychological disorders that led to quality of life impairment. In an accompanying editorial, American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr M Safwan Badr wrote: 'This study emphasises the need for physicians to conduct routine screenings for sleep problems among people with severe obesity.'