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Article

Sleep Patterns and Tryptophan Consumption among Students at Spanish Universities: The Unihcos Project

by
María Morales-Suárez-Varela
1,2,*,
Carmen Amezcua-Prieto
2,3,4,
Isabel Peraita-Costa
1,2,
Ramona Mateos-Campos
5,
Carlos Ayán
6,
Rocío Ortiz-Moncada
7 and
Tania Fernández-Villa
2,8,9 on behalf of the Grupo de Investigación UniHcos
1
Research Group in Social and Nutritional Epidemiology, Pharmacoepidemiology and Public Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Universitat de València, Av. Vicent Andrés Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
2
Biomedical Research Center in Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBERESP), Carlos III Health Institute, Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11 Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain
3
Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de Granada, Avenida de la Investigación 11, 18016 Granada, Spain
4
Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria ibs.GRANADA, Avda. de Madrid, 15, 18071 Granada, Spain
5
Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, Universidad de Salamanca, Calle Alfonso X el Sabio s/n, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
6
School of Education and Sports Sciences, HealthyFit Research Group, Universidad de Vigo, Campus A Xunqueira s/n, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
7
Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine and Public Health and History of Science, Food and Nutrition Research Group, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, San Vicente del Raspeig, 03690 Alicante, Spain
8
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Area of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Universidad de León, Campus Universitario de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain
9
Group of Investigation in Interactions Gene-Environment and Health (GIIGAS), Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus Universitario de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2024, 16(14), 2376; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142376 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 10 July 2024 / Revised: 18 July 2024 / Accepted: 19 July 2024 / Published: 22 July 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Nutrition and Public Health)

Abstract

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to explore sleep patterns and the potential relationship between sleep and tryptophan intake among Spanish university students. A total of 11,485 students self-reported their sleep and dietary patterns and habits. Tryptophan intake was calculated using a food intake matrix and results were presented as quartiles of total intake. Short sleep duration prevalence was 51.0%, with males exhibiting a significantly higher frequency. A total of 55.0% of participants presented inadequate sleep efficiency, with males again presenting a higher rate. Median tryptophan intake was 692.16 ± 246.61 mg/day, 731.84 ± 246.86 mg/day in males and 677.24 ± 244.87 mg/day in females (p = 0.001). Dietary tryptophan intake below the first quartile (<526.43 mg/day) was associated with a higher risk of short sleep duration in males (1.26; 95%CI: 1.02–1.55) and females (1.19; 95%CI: 1.05–1.34) and with the Athens Insomnia Scale insomnia in males (2.56; 95%CI: 1.36–4.82) and females (1.47; 95%CI: 1.10–2.05). Regarding academic specializations, females in the humanities field showed a higher risk of Athens Insomnia Scale insomnia due to low tryptophan intake (Q1: 3.15; 95% CI: 1.04–9.55 and Q2: 3.41; 95%CI: 1.01–11.5). In summary, lower tryptophan consumption appears to be associated with poorer sleep quality in Spanish university students; however, other social factors affecting students may also influence sleep quality. These findings have important implications for nutritional recommendations aimed at enhancing tryptophan intake to improve sleep quality.
Keywords: students; surveys and questionnaires; tryptophan; Mediterranean diet; cross-sectional study students; surveys and questionnaires; tryptophan; Mediterranean diet; cross-sectional study

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Morales-Suárez-Varela, M.; Amezcua-Prieto, C.; Peraita-Costa, I.; Mateos-Campos, R.; Ayán, C.; Ortiz-Moncada, R.; Fernández-Villa, T., on behalf of the Grupo de Investigación UniHcos. Sleep Patterns and Tryptophan Consumption among Students at Spanish Universities: The Unihcos Project. Nutrients 2024, 16, 2376. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142376

AMA Style

Morales-Suárez-Varela M, Amezcua-Prieto C, Peraita-Costa I, Mateos-Campos R, Ayán C, Ortiz-Moncada R, Fernández-Villa T on behalf of the Grupo de Investigación UniHcos. Sleep Patterns and Tryptophan Consumption among Students at Spanish Universities: The Unihcos Project. Nutrients. 2024; 16(14):2376. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142376

Chicago/Turabian Style

Morales-Suárez-Varela, María, Carmen Amezcua-Prieto, Isabel Peraita-Costa, Ramona Mateos-Campos, Carlos Ayán, Rocío Ortiz-Moncada, and Tania Fernández-Villa on behalf of the Grupo de Investigación UniHcos. 2024. "Sleep Patterns and Tryptophan Consumption among Students at Spanish Universities: The Unihcos Project" Nutrients 16, no. 14: 2376. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142376

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