Night Eating Syndrome

Excerpt

Night eating syndrome (NES) is a type of eating disorder related to eating after dinner and when awake at night. Wolff, Stunkard, and Grace discovered this condition in a group of patients seeking weight loss treatment. The syndrome was identified when their patients reported consuming a caloric intake of 25% of daily calories or more at night. Night eating syndrome is characterized by at least 3 of the following symptoms:

1. A strong urge to eat between dinner and going to bed

2. Anorexia in the morning and during the night

3. Maintenance or sleep onset insomnia

4. Depressed mood

5. Evening mood worsening

6. The belief that one cannot sleep without eating