Research paper
Cappuccio FP, Taggart FM, Kandala NB, Currie A, Peile E, Stranges S, Miller MA. Meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults. Sleep. 2008 May;31(5):619-626. doi:10.1093/sleep/31.5.619
Why we cite it
Landmark meta-analysis pooling 30 cross-sectional studies (634,511 participants from 12 children’s studies and 18 adult studies worldwide) to quantify the association between short sleep duration and obesity. Established that short sleepers have significantly higher odds of obesity — 89% higher in children (OR 1.89) and 55% higher in adults (OR 1.55) — with a dose-response pattern showing 0.35 BMI units per hour of sleep difference. The large scale (600,000+ participants), global scope, and absence of publication bias make this one of the strongest epidemiological demonstrations of the sleep-obesity link. Complements mechanistic studies on hormonal changes (leptin/ghrelin) during sleep deprivation.
About the author
Francesco P. Cappuccio — MB BS Honours, MD Honours (University of Naples, 1981/1984). MSc Epidemiology (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 1993). DSc (University of Warwick, 2012). FRCP, FFPH, FAHA, FESC. Moved to UK 1983; clinical training at Charing Cross and St George’s Hospitals, London. Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, St George’s, University of London (~2000). Cephalon Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine & Epidemiology, Warwick Medical School (2005–). Head, WHO Collaborating Centre for Nutrition, Warwick (2008–2023). President, British and Irish Hypertension Society (2017–19). Co-leads Sleep, Health and Society Programme at Warwick. Key meta-analyses: this 2008 sleep-obesity study (634,511 participants) and 2011 sleep-CVD outcomes (474,684 participants). ~62,000+ citations, 450+ publications.
Michelle A. Miller (last author) — BSc Medical Biochemistry (London University). PhD (Biochemical Regulation of Intracellular Calcium). Professor of Biochemical Medicine, Warwick Medical School. Cappuccio’s principal long-term collaborator since ~1989. Co-leads Sleep, Health and Society Programme. FFPH, FAHA. h-index 39, ~10,000 citations.