# Association between visceral adiposity index and sleep disorders among the U.S. adults: a cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

Higher visceral adiposity index is linked to increased risk of sleep disorders in U.S. adults, with stronger effects in males and non-Hispanic whites.

## Contribution

This study is the first to demonstrate a positive linear association between VAI and sleep disorders in a large U.S. population.

## Key findings

- Each unit increase in VAI was associated with a 5% higher risk of sleep disorders after adjusting for age and gender.
- Individuals in the highest VAI quartile had a 21% higher risk of sleep disorders compared to those in the lowest quartile.
- The association was stronger in males and non-Hispanic white individuals.

## Abstract

The visceral adiposity index (VAI) reliably measures body fat distribution and related dysfunctions. However, its association with sleep disorders among US adults remains unclear.

This study analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2005 to 2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for adults aged 18 and older. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between VAI and sleep disorders and applied restricted cubic splines to assess potential non-linear relationships. Additionally, subgroup analyses by gender, age, and race were conducted to explore the VAI-sleep disorder association across different populations.

This study included 14,021 adults aged 18 +. In Model 1, adjusted for gender and age, each unit increase in VAI was associated with a 5% higher risk of sleep disorders (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.02–1.07). In Model 2, which adjusted for all potential confounders, each unit increase in VAI was linked to a 3% higher risk (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.00–1.05). When treating VAI as a categorical variable, those in the highest quartile (Q4) had a 21% higher risk of sleep disorders compared to those in the lowest quartile (Q1) (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.03–1.41). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a positive linear relationship between VAI and sleep disorder prevalence. Subgroup analysis found stronger associations in males and non-Hispanic white individuals.

While causality cannot be confirmed, this cross-sectional study shows a significant positive linear association between higher VAI and the risk of sleep disorders among U.S. adults.