Fatigue worsened by fatty foods – study
08-05-2013
Eating foods with high fat content during the day can lead directly to increased fatigue and lower productivity, says a new US study. The Penn State College of Medicine research found that higher fat consumption was behind what it described as ‘objective daytime sleepiness’, underlining the clear connection between energy, alertness and ultimately sleep quality that dietary intake has.
The sluggish effects of eating fatty foods were found to be independent of other factors such as overall sleep quality, as well as body type, age and gender.
"Increased fat consumption has an acute adverse effect on alertness of otherwise healthy, non-obese adults," said Alexandros Vgontzas from Penn State College of Medicine. "Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue are very prevalent in the modern world and on the rise. It appears that a diet high in fat decreases alertness acutely, and this may have an impact on an individual's ability to function and also public safety."
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