Depression symptoms and night eating in young adulthood

Late-night eating and inactivity: Links to depression and suicide risk in adolescents living in Turkey

OBJECTIVE

Depression, anxiety, and eating disorders are all common during adolescence. This study aims to investigate the potential relationship between eating at night, physical activity, and depression/suicide risk in adolescents.

METHODS

This study followed a cross-sectional descriptive design and involved collecting data from adolescents aged 13-18 years who attend four different high schools. The data collection was done through an online survey using Google Forms. Sociodemographic form, eating at night questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Short Form), Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, and Suicide Probability Scale were used for data collection. The data collected were analyzed electronically using descriptive statistics and correlation tests to examine relationships between different parameters.

RESULTS

The study revealed significant associations between academic achievement, daily sleep duration, and daily walking distance with depression and suicide probability (p < 0.05) among the participants. Adolescents who consumed food after 10 pm exhibited higher depression and suicide probability scores than their counterparts (p < 0.05). Additionally, an analysis of physical activity levels demonstrated that highly active adolescents had lower depression and suicide probability scores.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this study suggests that there is a significant relationship between eating at night, physical activity, and depression/suicide risk in adolescents. Specifically, academic success, daily sleep duration, daily walking distance, and eating habits were found to be associated with depression and suicide probability. Encouraging physical activity and healthy eating habits, particularly avoiding eating late at night, may be beneficial in reducing the risk of depression and suicide among adolescents.

Disordered Eating in Young Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was the most prevalent endocrine disorder among women. Weight issues were commonly observed and found to be associated with comorbidities. This study aimed to compare Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores and Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) scores in patients with and without PCOS and analyze the factors associated with disordered eating. Women aged 18-25 years with and without PCOS (n = 110 for each group) were included in the study. All patients completed the EDE-Q, NEQ, Beck Anxiety, and Beck Depression inventories. Disordered eating was found more frequently in women with PCOS than in controls (25.5% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in NEQ scores between the two groups. Anxiety and depression scores were higher in patients with PCOS than in controls (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). PCOS diagnosis (OR: 7.4, CI: [1.63-33.7]; p = 0.010) and high BMI (OR: 1.24, CI: [1.10-1.39]; p < 0.001) were found to be independent factors for disordered eating (EDE-Q global score ≥ 4). Disordered eating was more common in young women with PCOS compared to the control group. PCOS diagnosis and having a high BMI (> 25) were found to be independent factors related to disordered eating in young women with PCOS. Young women with a high BMI or PCOS appear to be at a higher risk of disordered eating than women of the same age. Scanning this group may help clinicians in identifying women at high risk for eating disorders and preventing comorbidities associated with them.

Meal timing and its role in obesity and associated diseases

Meal timing emerges as a crucial factor influencing metabolic health that can be explained by the tight interaction between the endogenous circadian clock and metabolic homeostasis. Mistimed food intake, such as delayed or nighttime consumption, leads to desynchronization of the internal circadian clock and is associated with an increased risk for obesity and associated metabolic disturbances such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Conversely, meal timing aligned with cellular rhythms can optimize the performance of tissues and organs. In this review, we provide an overview of the metabolic effects of meal timing and discuss the underlying mechanisms. Additionally, we explore factors influencing meal timing, including internal determinants such as chronotype and genetics, as well as external influences like social factors, cultural aspects, and work schedules. This review could contribute to defining meal-timing-based recommendations for public health initiatives and developing guidelines for effective lifestyle modifications targeting the prevention and treatment of obesity and associated metabolic diseases. Furthermore, it sheds light on crucial factors that must be considered in the design of future food timing intervention trials.

The Relationship Among Seasonality, Night Eating, and Chronotype in Bipolar Disorder: Exploring the Mediating Role of Sleep Quality

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to explore the association among chronotype, seasonality, sleep quality, and night eating syndrome (NES) among patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and the mediating role of sleep quality in this relationship. Ninety-two individuals with BD type 1 who had been euthymic for at least 8 weeks and 87 healthy controls were included. In addition to sociodemographic/clinical data, chronotype, seasonality, sleep quality, and NES were evaluated using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Night Eating Questionnaire. The prevalence of NES (17.4%) was higher among BD than the controls. BD patients with NES had poorer sleep quality, greater seasonality, and lower MEQ scores. Chronotype had an indirect effect that was partially mediated by sleep quality on night eating symptoms in BD patients, in addition to a direct effect. Seasonality was found to have a direct effect on night eating symptoms. Therapeutic interventions that target both sleep and circadian disruption should be implemented when addressing NES in patients with BD.

Associations of night eating with depressive symptoms among health sciences students living in a postconflict region

Populations affected by war may experience food insecurity, which could predispose them to eating disorders. A cross-sectional study was conducted among health sciences students in Northern Kosovo from November 2018 to March 2019. Data were collected using the sociodemographic Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The study sample comprised 534 students. The prevalence of students who had at least mild depression (BDI ≥ 10) was 20.6%. More frequent night eating was consistently associated with a higher EDI score in the total sample as well as in the subgroup of students whose EDI score was ≥ 10. In addition, having poorer sleep quality and having more anxiety symptoms were associated with having stronger depressive symptoms. In a population of health sciences students who live in a post-conflict region, night eating is associated with having stronger depressive symptoms.

Evening types as determined by subjective and objective measures are more emotional eaters

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the association between being an evening type (ET; defined subjectively by the Morning-Evening Questionnaire or objectively by the dim-light melatonin onset [DLMO] timing) and reporting emotional eating (EE) behaviors.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analyses were conducted in 3964 participants (four international cohorts: ONTIME and ONTIME-MT [both Spain], SHIFT [the US], and DICACEM [Mexico]), in which chronotype (Morning-Evening Questionnaire), EE behaviors (Emotional Eating Questionnaire), and dietary habits (dietary records or food-frequency questionnaire) were assessed. Among 162 participants (ONTIME-MT subsample), additional measures of DLMO (physiological gold standard of circadian phase) were available.

RESULTS

In three populations, ETs presented with a higher EE score than morning types (p < 0.02); and they made up a higher proportion of emotional eaters (p < 0.01). ETs presented with higher scores on disinhibition/overeating as well as food craving factors and experienced these behaviors more frequently than morning types (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a meta-analysis showed that being an ET was associated with a higher EE score by 1.52 points of a total of 30 points (95% CI: 0.89-2.14). The timing of DLMO in the early, intermediate, and late objective chronotypes occurred at 21:02 h, 22:12 h, and 23:37 h, with late types showing a higher EE score (p = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

Eveningness associated with EE in populations with different cultural, environmental, and genetic backgrounds. Individuals with late DLMO also showed more EE.

Chrononutrition behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with body weight among college students

Introduction

Students in colleges are exposed to unhealthy lifestyles and poor dietary choices. They are at risk of being overweight, skipping meals, and developing eating disorders. However, there is a paucity of information on their chrononutrition behavior, which is very important, especially concerning the timing of food consumption across the day. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate chrononutrition behavior and its potential association with body weight status among college students in Malaysia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 409 college students aged above 18 in Malaysia. The chrononutrition behavior was assessed using the validated Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire (CP-Q). The questionnaire was distributed using an online platform. Participants self-reported their body weight and height, and the Body Mass Index (BMI) was computed. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.

Results

A total of 409 participants were recruited, with a mean age of 21.5 ± 2.2 years. The prevalence of underweight, normal, and overweight was 24.7, 49.4, and 25.9%, respectively. The chrononutrition behavior revealed that participants ate breakfast about four times/week (mean 4.27 ± 2.43 days), and only 135 (33.0%) consumed breakfast daily. The largest meal consumed was during lunch (75.8%), and the mean of snacking after the last meal was 3.23 ± 2.01 days. The prevalence of night eating was low, and most participants (70.9) did not wake up at night to eat. The frequency, however, was significantly higher in the underweight group compared to the normal weight group (p < 0.05). We observed a significant association between BMI and eating window, evening latency, evening eating, and night eating. It was found that the underweight had a poor eating window (p < 0.01), poor evening latency (p < 0.01), poor evening eating (p < 0.01), and poor night eating (p < 0.05) compared to those with normal and overweight BMI groups. In contrast to predictions, poor chrononutrition behavior was more likely to predict being underweight compared to normal (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Underweight young adults are more likely to have poor chrononutrition behavior. The results of the present study suggest that future nutrition education should also focus on the chrononutrition behavior of college students.

Is poor sleep quality related to disordered eating behavior and mental health among university students?

The role of sleep in eating behavior has received increasing attention in recent years. This paper aimed to determine the prevalence and associations between sleep quality and mental health, anthropometric measurements, and disordered eating in university students. This cross-sectional research was conducted among 568 students (78.7% women) aged 18-25 years. Students completed a survey including demographic information, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Eating Attitude Test-26 (EAT-26), Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Anthropometric measurements were taken. Students were grouped based on poor (PSQI > 5) and good (PSQI ≤ 5) sleep quality. The students' average age was 20.32 ± 1.61 years. Additionally, 36.3% (n = 206) of the students had PSQI > 5, and these students had more frequent night eating syndrome (NES) and depressive symptoms. Students with PSQI > 5 had significantly higher total NEQ and BDI scores than students with PSQI ≤ 5. Significant positive correlations were found between sleep quality and its subscale scores with NEQ and BDI scores. When anthropometric measurements were evaluated according to gender, a significant difference was found between sleep quality and body mass index and waist/hip ratio in men only. There was a significant association between PSQI > 5 and NES after adjusting for age, sex, class standing, residency, smoking status, and alcohol consumption on logistic regression. Our results suggest that PSQI > 5 is a significant risk for the NES, but not other disordered eating behaviors or obesity. The relationship between sleep, depression, anthropometric measurements, and disordered eating should be further evaluated in future studies.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Evening Hyperphagia and Nocturnal Ingestion: Core Constituents of Night Eating Syndrome with Different Background Factors

This web-based cross-sectional survey aimed to elucidate the differences between the two core symptoms of night eating syndrome (NES): evening hyperphagia and nocturnal ingestion in the general Japanese population aged 16–79 years. Participants who consumed at least 25% of daily calories after dinner were defined as having evening hyperphagia. Those who consumed food after sleep initiation at least twice a week were determined to have nocturnal ingestion. Of the 8348 participants, 119 (1.5%) were categorized in the evening hyperphagia group, 208 (2.6%) in the nocturnal ingestion group, and 8024 in the non-NES group. Participants with evening hyperphagia and nocturnal ingestion had significantly higher anxiety scores (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively) and depression (p < 0.001 for both) than those without NES. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that evening hyperphagia was significantly and independently associated with higher body mass index, shorter sleep duration, later sleep-wake schedule, and higher insomnia score, while nocturnal ingestion was significantly and independently associated with younger age, smoking habit, living alone, earlier sleep-wake schedule, and higher insomnia score. Sleep duration and sleep-wake schedule characteristics in the two groups were opposite, suggesting differences in the sleep pathophysiology mechanisms.

Prevalence and correlates of lifestyle behavior, anxiety and depression in Chinese college freshman: A cross-sectional survey

Objectives

First-year college students had exposure to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors that correlate with a high prevalence of anxiety and depression. Regarding to the modifiable lifestyle behaviors factors, this study investigated the prevalence and correlation of multiple lifestyle behaviors, anxiety and depression in a sample of Chinese first-year college students.

Methods

Cross-sectional data were extracted from Residents eHealth app of health lifestyle behaviors survey from September to October 2019. Anxiety, depression, eating regular meals, consumption of snacks in-between meals, consumption of fruit, dessert and sugar-sweetened beverages, smoking and secondhand smoke exposure, consuming alcohol, physical activity, sedentary time were assessed by self-report. Socio-demographic including age, gender, education, family income, religion, and health condition were captured. Logistic regression was used to explore the association of multiple lifestyle behaviors, anxiety and depression.

Results

Totally 1,017 participants were included in the study. The prevalence of anxiety and depression (from mild to severe) were 40.3% and 45.3%, respectively. In multivariable analyses, religion (believe in Buddhism, OR = 2.438, 95%CI: 1.097-5.421; believe in Christian, OR = 5.886, 95%CI: 1.604-21.597), gender (Female, OR = 1.405, 95%CI: 1.001-1.971), secondhand smoke exposure (OR = 1.089, 95%CI: 1.001-1.184), and eating regular meals (OR = 0.513, 95%CI: 0.346-0.759) were associated with anxiety. Family income (OR = 0.732, 95%CI: 0.596-0.898), eating regular meals (OR = 0.641, 95%CI: 0.415-0.990), frequency of breakfast (OR = 0.813, 95%CI: 0.690-0.959), with a chronic disease (OR = 1.902, 95%CI: 1.335-2.712), and consumption of nocturnal snack (OR = 1.337, 95%CI: 1.108-1.612) were associated with depression.

Conclusions

These results highlighted the need for early lifestyle behavior intervention, especially modifying diet patterns considering the background of religion, health condition, and social-economic status in first-year college students to improve their mental health.