ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Gastroenterologica e Dietologica 2000 September;46(3):149-54

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Night eating in severely obese patients

Testa S., Lagattolla V., Campostanto A., Russo P., Adami G. F., Grillo G.

Background. To investigate the frequency of night eating among obese patients, its biological correlates and its relationships with binge eating.
Methods. The eating behavior of a group of patients enrolled in a weight-loss program was evaluated by Eating Inventory (EI) and by semistructured interviews designed to detect binge and night eating; in all cases body weight (BW) and energy expenditure (REE) were measured.
Results. Night eating was more frequent among binge eating patients, than in among non-binge ones. However, two-way ANOVA demonstrated that in binge eating patients the EI disinhibition and hunger score was higher than in their no-bingeing counterparts and in night eating individuals. Furthermore, between night eating and non-night eating patients, no differences in BW and REE were found.
Conclusion. Binge eating and night eating appear to be related to different psychological constructs, the overlapping between the two behaviors, however, being quite frequent.