What influences the when of eating and sleeping?A qualitative interview study

Timing of eating relative to sleep and endogenous circadian rhythm impacts weight and cardiometabolic health. We used qualitative methods to explore what influences the when of eating and sleeping. We conducted 37 one-on-one semi-structured interviews among participants with a body mass index (BMI) >= 25 kg/m2 recruited from three internal medicine clinics affiliated with an urban academic hospital. Participants (70.3% Female; 51.4% White; Age range: 21-83 years old) completed measures of social jetlag, physical activity, eating habits, and mobile application use and participated in interviews following a guide developed by the study team. Responses were recorded, transcribed and coded sequentially by two trained researchers using editing-style analysis to identify themes. We identified two main themes, each with subthemes: 1) influences on the when of eating and sleeping, with subthemes including social jetlag and being overscheduled, and 2) contextualizing beliefs and perceptions about the when of eating and sleeping, with subthemes including perceived recommendations for timing of eating and sleeping, and alignment of behaviors with perceived recommendations. Many participants noted being more flexible in their eating and sleeping times on work-free vs work days. The themes this study identified should be considered when designing interventions that influence the timing of eating and sleeping for weight management.

Automated summary

This study explored the factors influencing the timing of eating and sleeping among participants with a body mass index (BMI) >= 25 kg/m2 and identified the preference for more flexibility in eating and sleeping times on days off compared to work days. The findings suggest that interventions targeting weight management should consider the contextual beliefs and behaviors related to the timing of eating and sleeping.