Diet Composition Shapes Sleep, Quality of Life, and Gene Expression in Obesity: A Randomized Trial.

In a subgroup of 20 people actigraphy was performed to objectively capture sleep parameters, and circulating whole blood gene expression analysis was undertaken. Quality of life assessed with the IWQOL-Lite significantly improved after both diets (p<0.001), with the ketogenic diet showing a greater effect (p=0.006). The ketogenic diet also resulted in greater improvement in subjective sleep quality (p=0.023).

Both diets improved daytime sleepiness (balanced diet p=0.012; ketogenic diet p=0.021). The ketogenic diet induced a greater weight loss (p=0.026). Gene expression analysis revealed greater changes in lipid metabolism with ketogenic diet.

No significant changes in circadian genes were seen. Weight loss with diet intervention significantly improved quality of life of people with obesity, already after 30 days. The ketogenic diet resulted in greater improvements, in parallel with greater weight loss.

Both diets influenced the expression of many metabolic genes in whole blood, with greater changes in lipid metabolism seen with ketogenic diet. Weight loss with diet intervention is effective to improve quality of life, sleep, and daytime sleepiness symptoms.