A High-Fat Diet Can Make You Tired At Work

Eating fatty foods can lead to daytime sleepiness as well as sleep problems at night, according to a study from the University of Adelaide.

As part of the study, more than 1,800 Australian men ages 35 to 80 reported their eating habits during a one-year period. Researchers adjusted for lifestyle, demographic factors and chronic diseases. They found that men who consumed the highest amount of fat were more likely to experience excessive daytime sleepiness. A high-fat diet also was linked to sleep apnea.

Among the men surveyed, 47 percent said they slept poorly at night and 41 percent reported feeling tired during the day. In addition, about 54 percent experienced mild-to-moderate sleep apnea, and one-quarter had moderate-to-severe sleep apnea. The men were not previously diagnosed with the condition.

“This has significant implications for alertness and concentration, which would be of particular concern to workers,” Yingting Cao, study author and University of Adelaide doctoral student, said in a press release. “The simple message is a common-sense one, but we need more people to pay attention to it: We need to eat better; a good sleep the night before is best.”

The study was published April 8 in the journal Nutrients.

The results are similar to a study conducted by Columbia University researchers that found diets high in saturated fat and sugar – and low in fibre – may lead to lighter, more disrupted sleep.

WORKING PAST AGE 65 MAY RESULT IN LONGER LIFE

Working after the age of 65 may result in a longer life, according to a new study from Oregon State University.

Researchers examined data from nearly 3,000 adults in the Health and Retirement Study from 1992 until their retirement in 2010. To explore how factors other than health impact mortality, researchers split participants into two groups: unhealthy retirees, who cited poor health as one reason they decided to retire, and healthy retirees.

Taking into account participants’ demographic, lifestyle and health factors, results showed that working one year past the typical retirement age of 65 had a positive impact on mortality rate, regardless of health status, a press release from OSU states. Healthy retirees who worked a year past age 65 had an 11 percent lower risk of death from all causes; for unhealthy retirees, the risk was 9 percent lower.

The findings indicate that staying active could benefit longevity, researchers said, adding that further research is necessary to explore the connection between work and health.

“It may not apply to everybody, but we think work brings people a lot of economic and social benefits that could impact the length of their lives,” Chenkai Wu, lead study author and doctoral student in the university’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences, said in the release.