Determinants of Night Eating Syndrome in Bariatric Surgery Candidates

Objective: In the present study, it was aimed to examine the clinical correlates of Night Eating Syndrome among bariatric surgery candidates and its relationship with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Methods: The study was conducted in a voluntary patient group (n=141) who attend to the Clinic of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery of Faculty of Medicine of Bezmialem Vakif University between June 2013 and August 2014 to have obesity surgery. The participants were asked to complete the Night Eating Questionaire, the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Eligible 111 patients who have completed all the questionnaires were included for statistical analyses. Results: The results show that 16 participants (14.4%) of the study sample got a score of 30 or over from The Night Eating Questionaire and according to proposed diagnostic criteria, 8.1% (n=9) of the study sample were identified with Night Eating Syndrome. 22.5% of the sample (n=25) had Binge Eating Disorder. Out of these participants, 43 (38.7%) scored 17 and over from Beck Depression Inventory, and 41 (% 36.9) scored 16 and over from the Beck Depression Inventory. While 8.1% (n=9) of sample group met the criteria for both Binge Eating Disorder and Night Eating Syndrome, 65.8% (n=73) met neither Binge Eating Disorder nor Night Eating Syndrome. While 16 patients (14.4%) met the criteria of Binge Eating Disorders but not met ones of Night Eating Syndrome. Moreover, 13 (11.7%) patients who did not meet the criteria for Binge Eating Disorder met the criteria of Night Eating Syndrome. Conclusion: Our results showed that Night Eating Syndrome was in mutual relationship with psychopathologies such as depression and anxiety. This relationship should be consider in the management of the Night Eating Syndrome. Recognition and proper treatment of Night Eating Syndrome is important due to its possible effect on the outcome of obesity surgery. Follow-up studies are needed to examine the effect of Night Eating Syndrome on weight loss in bariatric surgery groups.