Abstract

Obesity and poor sleep are risk factors for several illnesses in older adulthood. With a growing proportion of women reaching older adulthood, and older women at the highest risk of experiencing poor sleep of all age groups, there is a need to understand how obesity may be associated with poor sleep in this population. This study examines whether obesity is associated with sleep efficiency in older adult women. Data came from the Kingston Senior Women’s Study (KSWS). The KSWS consisted of a cross-sectional, convenience sample of 100 women aged 65+ from Kingston, Ontario. Sleep efficiency scores accounted for the proportion of time spent asleep during rest periods and was measured over one week by an Actiwatch. Height and weight was directly measured; body mass index (BMI) was calculated as kg/m2; and, obesity was defined as a BMI ≥ 30. Analyses adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, marital status, and self-reported depressive symptoms. Obese women were more likely to experience poorer sleep efficiency than those whose BMI fell within the normal weight range (ß = -8.12; p<0.05). This finding suggests that it may be important for public health initiatives to address sleep issues in older obese women.