Association between diet type and sleep quality in university students in Lima,Peru

Abstract

Introduction. Diet type and sleep quality are determinants of health, related to metabolic, hormonal, cognitive, and emotional processes that affect student well-being and performance. Objective. To determine the association between diet type and sleep quality in students from private universities in Lima, 2024–2025. Materials and methods. An analytical transversal study was conducted with 692 students aged 18 to 25 years from private universities in Lima, selected through non-probability quota sampling. An online survey applied a questionnaire that included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), diet type, and coffee consumption, along with general data. Bivariate analysis was performed using Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests, while multivariate analysis was conducted with binary logistic regression adjusted for age, sex, and coffee consumption. Results. The median age was 22 years, with an even distribution between vegetarians (50.1%) and omnivores (49.9%). A total of 53.1% had good sleep quality. Vegetarians obtained better scores and reported longer sleep duration. A vegetarian diet was significantly associated with a higher proportion of good sleep quality. Poor sleep quality was associated with female sex and the consumption of coffee or energy drinks, which significantly increased its likelihood. In contrast, following a vegetarian diet was associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing poor sleep quality (OR=0.494; IC95%: 0,394-0,698). Discussion: The findings suggest that plant-based dietary patterns may support physiological mechanisms related to sleep, possibly due to a higher intake of compounds that regulate circadian rhythms. The impact of coffee consumption and sex highlights the need to consider both behavioral and biological factors when examining sleep quality in university students. Conclusions. The vegetarian diet was associated with better quality and longer duration of sleep in university students. Female sex and age 21 were related to a greater tendency toward this dietary pattern, while coffee consumption was linked to poorer sleep quality.