학술논문

Beat the Clock: Assessment of Night Eating Syndrome and Circadian Rhythm in a Sample of Greek Adults
Document Type
Clinical report
Source
Nutrients. January, 2024, Vol. 16 Issue 2
Subject
Greece
Language
English
ISSN
2072-6643
Abstract
The night eating syndrome (NES) is characterized by excessive food intake during the evening and night hours, with 25% of the daily intake being consumed post-dinner, paired with ep-isodes of nocturnal food intake, at a frequency of more than twice weekly. The NES has been associated with a misaligned circadian rhythm related to a delay in overall food intake, increased energy and fat consumption. The present cross-sectional study aimed to assess NES in a Greek population and evaluate possible links between NES and chronotype. NES was assessed using the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and circadian rhythm, sleep and mood were evaluated with the Sleep, Circadian Rhythms, and Mood (SCRAM) questionnaire. A total of 533 adults participated in the study. A relatively high prevalence of NES was revealed, with more than 8.1% (NEQ ≥ 30) of the participants reporting experiencing NES symptoms, depending on the NEQ threshold used. Most participants had the intermediate chronotype. NEQ score was positively associated with the morning chronotype, and SCRAM was negatively related to “Good Sleep”. Each point increment in the depression score was associated with 6% higher odds of NES. The early identification of NES gains importance in clinical practice, in a collective effort aiming to reduce NES symptomatology and its detrimental health effects.
Author(s): Anastasia Blouchou [1,†]; Vasiliki Chamou [1,†]; Christos Eleftheriades [1,†]; Dimitrios Poulimeneas [2]; Katerina-Maria Kontouli [3]; Konstantinos Gkiouras [4]; Alexandra Bargiota [5]; Kalliopi K. Gkouskou [6,7]; Eirini Rigopoulou [8,9]; Dimitrios [...]