1–2% (general population), approximately 10% of overweight individuals
Night eating syndrome (NES) is an
eating disorder, characterized by a delayed
circadian pattern of food intake.[1] Although there is some degree of
comorbidity with
binge eating disorder,[1] it differs from
binge eating in that the amount of food consumed in the night is not necessarily objectively large nor is a loss of control over food intake required. It was originally described by
Albert Stunkard in 1955[2] and is currently included in the
other specified feeding or eating disorder category of the
DSM-5.[3] Research diagnostic criteria have been proposed[1] and include evening
hyperphagia (consumption of 25% or more of the total daily calories after the evening meal) and/or nocturnal awakening and ingestion of food two or more times per week. The person must have awareness of the night eating to differentiate it from the
parasomnia sleep-related eating disorder (SRED). Three of five associated symptoms must also be present:
lack of appetite in the morning, urges to eat at night, belief that one must eat in order to fall back to sleep at night,
depressed mood, and/or
difficulty sleeping.
NES affects both men and women,[4] between 1 and 2% of the general population,[5] and approximately 10% of
obese individuals.[6] The age of onset is typically in early adulthood (spanning from late teenage years to late twenties) and is often long-lasting,[7] with children rarely reporting NES.[8] People with NES have been shown to have higher scores for depression and low self-esteem, and it has been demonstrated that nocturnal levels of the hormones
melatonin and
leptin are decreased.[9] The relationship between NES and the parasomnia SRED is in need of further clarification. There is debate as to whether these should be viewed as separate diseases, or part of a continuum.[10] Consuming foods containing
serotonin has been suggested to aid in the treatment of NES,[11] but other research indicates that diet by itself cannot appreciably raise serotonin levels in the brain.[12] A few foods (for example,
bananas[12]) contain serotonin, but they do not affect brain serotonin levels,[12] and various foods contain
tryptophan, but the extent to which they affect brain serotonin levels must be further explored scientifically before conclusions can be drawn,[12] and "the idea, common in popular culture, that a high-protein food such as
turkey will raise brain tryptophan and serotonin is, unfortunately, false."[12]
^Stunkard A.J.; Grace W.J.; Wolff H.G. (1955). "The night-eating syndrome; a pattern of food intake among certain obese patients". The American Journal of Medicine. 19 (1): 78–86.
doi:
10.1016/0002-9343(55)90276-X.
PMID14388031.
^American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: Author.
^Stunkard A.J.; Berkowitz R.; Wadden T.; Tanrikut C.; Reiss E.; Young L. (1996). "Binge eating disorder and the night-eating syndrome". International Journal of Obesity. 20 (1): 1–6.
PMID8788315.
^Wal Jillon S. Vander (2012). "Night eating syndrome: A critical review of the literature". Clinical Psychology Review. 32 (1): 49–59.
doi:
10.1016/j.cpr.2011.11.001.
PMID22142838.
^Shoar S.; Shoar N.; Khorgami Z.; Shahabuddin Hoseini S.; Naderan M. (2012). "Prophylactic diet: A treatment for night eating syndrome". Hypothesis. 10 (1): e5.
^
abcdeYoung, SN (2007), "How to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs", J Psychiatry Neurosci, 32 (6): 394–399,
PMC2077351,
PMID18043762.
^O'Reardon J.P.; Stunkard A.J.; Allison K.C. (2004). "Clinical trial of sertraline in the treatment of night eating syndrome". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 35 (1): 16–26.
doi:
10.1002/eat.10224.
PMID14705153.
^Lundgren J.D.; Shapiro J.R.; Bulik C.M. (2008). "Night eating patterns of patients with bulimia nervosa: a preliminary report". Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. 13 (4): 171–175.
doi:
10.1007/bf03327503.
PMID19169072.
S2CID39452993.
^Gluck M.E.; Geliebter A.; Satoy T. (2001). "Night eating syndrome is associated with depression, low self-esteem, reduced daytime hunger, and less weight loss in obese patients". Obesity Research. 9 (4): 264–267.
doi:
10.1038/oby.2001.31.
PMID11331430.
^Calugi S.; Grave R.D.; Marchesini G. (2009). "Night eating syndrome in class II-III obesity: Metabolic and psychopathological features". International Journal of Obesity. 33 (8): 899–904.
doi:
10.1038/ijo.2009.105.
PMID19506562.
S2CID22424244.
^Boseck J.J.; Engel S.G.; Allison K.C.; Crosby R.D.; Mitchell J.E.; de Zwaan M. (2007). "The application of ecological momentary assessment to the study of night eating". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 40 (3): 271–276.
doi:
10.1002/eat.20359.
PMID17177212.
^Thompson S.H.; DeBate R.D. (2010). "An exploratory study of the relationship between night eating syndrome and depression among college students". Journal of College Student Psychotherapy. 24: 39–48.
doi:
10.1080/87568220903400161.
S2CID144201491.
^Sassaroli S.; Ruggiero G.M.; Vinai P.; Cardetti S.; Carpegna G.; Ferrato N.; Sampietro S. (2009). "Daily and nightly anxiety amongst patients affected by night eating syndrome and binge eating disorder". Eating Disorders. 17 (2): 140–145.
doi:
10.1080/10640260802714597.
PMID19242843.
S2CID25666116.
^Napolitano M.A.; Head S.; Babyak M.A.; Blumenthal J.A. (2001). "Binge eating disorder and night eating syndrome: psychological and behavioral characteristics". International Journal of Eating Disorders. 30 (2): 193–203.
doi:
10.1002/eat.1072.
PMID11449453.