The Effect of Night Eating Syndrome Tendency on Mood, Sleep, and Alcohol Use in Female Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate individuals with night eating syndrome tendency in 115 female undergraduate sample based on night eating syndrome criteria, and analyze its association between mood, sleep, and alcohol use. Methods: Subjects were divided into high and low tendency group of night eating syndrome based on the night eating questionnaire. All participants completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, and Alcohol-Use Disorders Identification Test. Data was collected at two time points which were 3 months apart. All analyses were conducted using repeated measure ANOVA. Results: Results indicated a significant difference between night eating syndrome tendency groups for anxiety and depression [F(1,113)=12.35, p=0.001 and F(1,113)=9.59, p=0.002, respectively]. Depression also had a significant time effect [F(1,113)=11.15, p=0.001]. Additionally, the high night eating syndrome tendency group had higher levels of insomnia severity [F(1,113)=24.34, p<0.001], eveningness [F(1,113)=15.09, p<0.001], and alcohol use [F(1,113)=6.73, p=0.011], and lower sleep efficiency [F(1,113)=6.30, p=0.014] compared to the low night eating syndrome tendency group. Conclusions: The high night eating syndrome tendency group had higher negative mood, sleep disturbance, and alcohol use compared to the low night eating syndrome tendency group. In summary, intervention for night eating syndrome may be important to consider in undergraduate students. Keywords: Feeding and eating disorders, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Circadian rhythm, Alcohol Consumption