Abstract
Sleep restriction is associated with weight gain and chronic medical disorders. We randomized 40 women with body mass indices between 25 and 49 kg/m2 into 2 counseling groups: dietary advice with exercise and dietary advice with exercise and sleep counseling. We measured blood pressure, gait speed, and the Get Up and Go test. The mean age was 43.0 +/- 10.4 years; the mean body mass index was 33.4 +/- 4.3 kg/m2. Twenty-seven subjects completed 6 visits. There was no difference between the 2 intervention groups in weight loss. Mean blood pressures were within normal limits. Gait speeds increased and Get Up and Go times decreased in the women who completed 6 months of counseling. These tools provide quick assessments of health and physical performance and provide dietitians with additional outcome measurements.