Prevalence of Night Eating in Students at the Centro Universitário de Maringá, Maringá PR Brazil

Abstract

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is an eating disorder with three main characteristics: morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia and insomnia. Association between eating disorders and overweight or obesity has already been demonstrated. In fact, the former is a well-known disorder in young college students. The study of clinically significant eating disorders leads to the evaluation and planning of obesity treatment in a more rational and personalized way. Current research characterizes NES prevalence and its relationship to the weight and age of college students. The methodology consists of evaluating NES prevalence by a self fill-in Night Eating Questionnaire, translated and adapted to Brazilian mores, in which weight and height were informed by the students themselves. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to analyze the association between weight and age within NES incidences. Two hundred and seventy-five students were evaluated: 56.4% were enrolled in undergraduate courses of the Exact Sciences and of the Humanities and 43.6% in the Health courses. No differences were found in students with regard to undergraduate courses, age and anthropometric variables. NES was observed in 1.4% of students interviewed and only 0.4% presented risk for the development of the syndrome. However, analysis of the nutritional state demonstrated that 14.1% were overweight, specifically pre-obesity in 9.8% and obesity in 4.3% of the interviewed. Data did not demonstrate any association between NES and overweight and further investigations with different populations are required.