Affiliations: Biostatistics and Epidemiology Branch, Health Effects
Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA | Department of Psychology, West Virginia University,
Morgantown, WV, USA | School of Public Health and Health Professions,
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, State University of New York at
Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
Abstract: Objectives: To examine associations for sleep quality and quantity
with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its five components in police officers. Patients or Participants: The study population consisted of 98
randomly selected officers (39 women and 59 men) for whom MS and sleep data
were available. Methods: Sleep duration (categorized as short < 6 hours, long
⩾ 6 hours) for the past week and quality of sleep were collected by
interviewer-administered questionnaires. MS was assessed using standard
criteria. Generalized linear models were used to assess associations between
sleep duration or sleep quality and MS, and the mean number of MS
components. Results: Metabolic syndrome was present in 22.0% and 2.6% of the
male and female officers, respectively. Women with short sleep had a
significantly higher mean number of MS components (mean=1.43) than those with
longer sleep (mean=0.81, p=0.0316). Officers who stopped breathing during the
night had more MS components (mean=2.43) compared to those who did not (mean
=1.13, p=0.0206). Conclusions: Sleep duration and quality were associated with the
mean number of MS components, particularly in women. Future research should
examine these associations prospectively, in a larger cohort, exploring
possible gender differences.
