A link between chronic sleep restriction and obesity: Methodological considerations

Emerging evidence suggests that chronic steep restriction contributes to obesity. Targeting short steep duration may therefore offer a novel and effective method of preventing and treating obesity. However, this area of research is only in its infancy, and a complete understanding of how chronic steep restriction and obesity are linked is currently lacking. The aim of this paper is to briefly review epidemiological evidence for an association between chronic steep restriction and obesity in adults, and outline the key methodological limitations of these studies. Particular attention is paid to the methods used to measure steep and obesity, as well as the need to control for potential confounding variables. Methodological recommendations are provided for future studies that will facilitate a more complete understanding of how chronic steep restriction and obesity are linked in the general population. This has implications for the development of public health programmes that target steep as a modifiable risk factor for obesity. (C) 2008 The Royal Institute of Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.