Night Eating Syndrome

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.

 

Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW135
Diagnosis: Night Eating Syndrome
US Patients: 1-2%; approximately 10% of obese persons
World Patients:
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset:
Brain Area: Reduced serotonin in the brain may be a factor
Symptoms: lack of morning appetite; urges to eat at night; belief in needing to eat to fall back asleep; depression; 
 
difficulty sleeping
Progression: likely have 25+% of calories consumed after the evening meal; occurs more than twiceor more per week
Causes: The person is fully awake while eating, this is not “sleep-eating.”
Medications:
Therapies: Eating foods high in serotonin (bananas) or tryptophan (turkey) , but these do not affect serotonin or
 tryptophan in the brain

Youtube Video: Night Eating Syndrome: The Solution

Amazon or Library Book: Night Eating Syndrome:

Why You Eat To Fall Asleep & 30-Day Food Journal

Click the book to link or buy from Amazon.

Support Group: nationaleatingdisorders.org; 800-931-2237

4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED

The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis 

Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.

  • Taking a Global View of the OSFED Category From Inside and Outside the DSM-5: Comment on Dang et al. 2024
    by Angélica M Claudino on October 25, 2024

    This Commentary discusses the findings of Dang et al.'s systematic review and metanalysis on the "Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder" (OSFED) category in the context of current conceptualizations and main international diagnostic schemes of classification, the DSM-5 and the ICD-11. The aim to reduce less specified eating disorder categories in these classifications has not been completely achieved and OSFED cases remain prevalent. Different definitions of OSFED contribute to difficulties...

  • OSFED Subtypes: The Need for Better Definitions
    by Evelyn Attia on October 25, 2024

    Other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) is a diagnostic category in DSM-5 describing individuals with clinically significant eating behavioral disturbances that do not meet criteria for full-threshold eating disorder diagnoses. OSFED includes five example subgroups: atypical anorexia nervosa, sub-threshold bulimia nervosa, sub-threshold binge-eating disorder, purging disorder, and night eating syndrome. A recent review of OSFED by Dang et al. aims to examine differences between...

  • Guidelines for Rigorous and Reproducible Research on Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder: Commentary on Dang et al. (2024)
    by Pamela K Keel on October 25, 2024

    Dang et al.'s review concludes that atypical anorexia nervosa (atypical AN), purging disorder (PD), and night eating syndrome (NES) are clinically significant and severe eating disorders (EDs). However, findings are unlikely to alter their status in future editions of the DSM due to limitations in the literature to date. Guidelines are offered to promote rigorous and reproducible research on other specified feeding or eating disorder OSFED. First, published research diagnostic criteria for...

  • Taking a Deeper Dive Into OSFED Subtypes: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review
    by Thanh Ba Dang on October 25, 2024

    OBJECTIVE: To compare all other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) groups (atypical anorexia nervosa [AN], purging disorder [PD], night eating syndrome [NES], subthreshold bulimia nervosa [sub-BN], and subthreshold binge-eating disorder [sub-BED]) to threshold eating disorders (EDs [AN, BN, and BED]) and control groups (CGs) on measures of eating and general psychopathology.