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2018 Abstracts

Exploratory Analysis between Frequency of Quality Sleep and Calorie-Tracking

Annalyse Kofoed, Utah Valley University

Previous research studies consistently show a relationship between sleep quality, sleep duration, and weight. Discussions about these findings typically point to the impact sleep habits have on appetite-regulating hormones. As such, the encouragement of healthy sleep habits is generally accepted in modern literature as beneficial for weight management programs (WMPs). This study provides an additional perspective on the impact sleep has on efforts to manage weight. Utilizing a self-reported survey sample consisting largely of college students at Utah Valley University, a bivariate correlation analysis was conducted between the following variables: adequate sleep frequency, calorie-tracking, and successful achievement of a calorie goal. The correlation between adequate sleep and calorie-tracking was r=.062 (p=.051). Although the finding was not statistically significant, it was on the threshold and is a point of interest for discussion. Additionally, the relationship between adequate sleep and successful achievement of a calorie goal was r=.077 (p=.016). This finding warranted a post-hoc test which found a positive relationship between adequate sleep and motivation. The results of this study may help explain the findings in previous research projects regarding the benefits of including adequate sleep as a component of WMPs. In particular, motivation levels may be boosted by getting enough sleep. Limitations of this study involve the subjective nature of self-report surveys, and the impact sample size had on the statistical significance of the first relationship. Future studies on the relationship of motivation and sleep duration within WMPs would provide greater insights and contribute to the existing pool of relevant studies.