The interrelationship of food addiction, sleep quality, and anthropometric parameters in university students: A cross-sectional study

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of food addiction and its associations with sleep quality and anthropometric measures, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat percentage, as well as to explore potential gender differences in these relationships. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 876 university students (71.2% female, 28.8% male; mean age 21.1 ± 2.0 years). Food addiction was assessed using the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), while sleep quality was measured via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Anthropometric data were collected through standardized measurements of weight, height, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. The prevalence of food addiction was 22.8%, with females demonstrating a higher prevalence (25.6%) compared to males (16.1%, p=0.008). Participants with food addiction exhibited significantly higher BMI (25.1 ± 4.1 vs. 22.9 ± 3.4 kg/m², p<0.001), waist circumference (83.4 ± 9.8 vs. 78.0 ± 10.2 cm, p<0.001), and body fat percentage (29.7 ± 8.2% vs. 24.2 ± 8.4%, p<0.001). Additionally, these participants reported poorer sleep quality (global score 8.1 ± 3.3 vs. 6.2 ± 2.8, p<0.001) and shorter sleep duration (6.2 ± 1.1 h vs. 7.0 ± 1.2 h, p<0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that food addiction independently predicted both impaired sleep quality (β=0.28, p<0.001) and increased BMI (β=0.22, p=0.008), controlling for age, sex, and physical activity. Food addiction affects nearly one-quarter of university students and is strongly associated with poorer sleep quality and elevated anthropometric indices. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing addictive eating behaviors, sleep hygiene, and weight management in young adult populations.