The purpose of the study is to shed light on how obesity develops by examining daily behaviors and sleep in people who have involuntarily lost their job. If findings show that disturbances in daily routine and sleep precede weight gain, then there is solid backing for the development of a behavioral sleep prevention program targeting unemployed individuals. Since unemployment, chronic sleep restriction, and obesity are such prevalent social and public health issues, the results of this study are highly relevant to a large segment of the U.S. population.

Funding for this study came from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.