• The cohort study analyzed 2.4 lakh participants, categorizing them based on sleep duration and healthy diet score.

• 4 sleep duration groups were made as normal [7 to 8 hrs], mild short [ 6hrs], moderate short [5hrs], and extreme short[  3 to 4 hrs].

• Dietary habits were evaluated based on the population-specific consumption of red meat, processed meat, fruits, vegetables, and fish ranging from 0 to 5 (unhealthiest to healthiest).

• The outcome was the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), obtained from hospital records.

• 3.2% of those enrolled developed T2D during the follow-up period.

• Results from the study analyzed in September 2023, indicated a significant increase in the risk of T2D among participants with less than 5 hours of sleep every day. The risk is higher if the sleep is between 3 and 4 hours.

• Individuals with healthy diet patterns had a reduced risk of T2D (HR: 0.75 [95% CI, 0.63-0.88]).

• Furthermore, the association between short sleep duration and an increased risk of T2D persisted even for individuals following a healthy diet.

• The study did not find any interaction effects between sleep duration and a healthy diet on the incidence of T2D.

• The study did not have enough evidence to conclude that healthy food habits can decrease the incidence of T2D in people with habitual short duration of sleep.

• To validate these studies further longitudinal studies are needed, incorporating repeated measures of sleep and dietary habits.

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