Night Eating Syndrome

Night eating syndrome is the most frequent eating disorder. Exaggeration of this condition is grouped under severe eating disorders including eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa.

Night eating syndrome eating disorder symptoms are morning loss of appetite, evening hyperphagia, that is, consumption of minimum 50% of daily calories after dinner with snacks, and sleep problems. Breakfast may be eaten hours after waking up due to loss of appetite. These persons get up to eat at least 3 nights in a week. In these frequent get-ups, high-calorie foods, especially high carbohydrate and sweet foods are consumed. The disease may also include an unusual depression which is minimal in the mornings, progressive in evenings and nights. Persons are under a stress of which they are aware or not. Considering that these consumed foods are carbohydrates that make themselves feel better, this condition may be a self-treatment method. It may turn into a serious psychological condition with the addition of guilt and shame felt due to this kind of unstoppable night eating problems. Interestingly, this group of persons with night eating disorder has no concerns related with eating and dieting and most of them are already obese.

In our hospital, firstly a psychologist interview on eating disorders and then a dietician support for regulation of calorie consumption is provided for persons with night eating disorder.