Effect of social jetlag on metabolic syndrome varies by body mass index: evidence from Taiwan Biobank

May 31, 2026Endocrine journal

Social jetlag's link to metabolic syndrome changes with body weight

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Abstract

Among 65,832 adults, social jetlag (SJL) of ≥2 hours was not significantly associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) overall.

SJL is defined as the difference in mid-sleep time between workdays and free days.
An association between SJL and MetS was found only in the overweight group (BMI 24-26.9 kg/m).
In the overweight group, SJL ≥2 hours had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.12, indicating a potential link to MetS.
No significant association was observed between SJL and MetS in normal-weight or obese individuals.
The findings suggest that the relationship between circadian misalignment and metabolic risk may depend on body mass index.

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Social jetlag (SJL), the misalignment between biological and social time, has been linked to adverse metabolic outcomes. However, the effect of body mass index (BMI) on this association remains unclear, particularly in Asian populations. This cross-sectional study utilized data from the Taiwan Biobank, including 65,832 adults with complete information on sleep timing and metabolic parameters. SJL was calculated as the difference in mid-sleep time between workdays and free days and categorized as <2 or ≥2 h. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) was defined using standard clinical criteria. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between SJL and MetS, with stepwise adjustment for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Additional analyses stratified participants into BMI categories (<24, 24-26.9, ≥27 kg/m). After full adjustment including BMI, SJL ≥2 h was not significantly associated with MetS (adjusted odds ratio = 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 0.98-1.12; p = 0.180). In BMI-stratified analyses, a significant association was observed only in the overweight group (BMI 24-26.9 kg/m; adjusted odds ratio = 1.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.24; p = 0.035), but not in normal-weight or obese groups. An association between SJL and MetS was observed only in the overweight group, suggesting a BMI-dependent association between SJL and MetS. These findings highlight the importance of considering BMI when evaluating the association between SJL and MetS and indicate that the relationship between circadian misalignment and metabolic risk may vary across BMI categories. 2 2

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Effect of social jetlag on metabolic syndrome varies by body mass index: evidence from Taiwan Biobank

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