Association between dietary phytochemical index, inflammation and oxidative stress with sleep duration and sleep quality in Iranian adults

Summary

This cross-sectional study of 535 Iranian adults investigated whether higher consumption of phytochemical-rich foods is associated with better sleep outcomes. Those in the highest tertile of dietary phytochemical index had substantially lower odds of poor sleep quality and short sleep duration; sleep latency and sleep disturbances showed particularly strong inverse associations. Associations differed by sex and body weight category, and while higher phytochemical index showed a marginal inverse trend with inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers showed inconsistent associations with sleep quality.

Regional applicability

The study was conducted in Iran and reflects Iranian dietary patterns and populations. Findings may have limited direct transferability to United Kingdom populations with different baseline phytochemical intake, dietary diversity, and demographic characteristics, though the mechanistic hypothesis linking plant-based bioactive compounds to sleep regulation could be relevant to UK nutrition and sleep health research.

Key measures

Dietary phytochemical index (percentage of energy from phytochemical-rich foods); Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (sleep quality and duration); serum biomarkers (malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein)

Outcomes reported

The study examined associations between dietary phytochemical index (DPI) and sleep quality/duration, alongside markers of oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, GPX) and inflammation (hs-CRP). Participants in the highest tertile of DPI showed 43% lower odds of short sleep duration and 53% lower odds of poor sleep quality.

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