Night eating syndrome and its association with body mass index among female university students

Dzulkafli, Nur Hana and Hamirudin, Aliza Haslinda and Sidek, Suriati (2020) Night eating syndrome and its association with body mass index among female university students. International Journal of Allied Health Sciences, 4 (4). pp. 1626-1634. E-ISSN 2600-8491

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Abstract

Introduction: Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is an eating disorder which is a combination of excessive eating at night and sleep problem. This study aimed to identify prevalence of NES, its association with body mass index (BMI) and the type of foods frequently consumed at late night among female university students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 120 female university students from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan. Participants were required to answer Night Eating Questionnaires (NEQ) and food consumption at late night questionnaire. Statistically significant value was set at p<0.05. Results: Prevalence of NES among the participants was 4.2%. Mean difference of NEQ score with the cut off score for NES identification was statistically significant (p=0.001). There was no significant association between NEQ score and BMI (p=0.606). The most preferred type of food consumed at late night was instant noodles (n=63, 52.5%), followed by chocolate (n=61, 50.8%) and biscuits with cream fillings (n=44, 36.7%). In conclusion, the prevalence of NES is relatively low and has no association with BMI among female university students. However, eating habits at late night should be of concern as unhealthy food choices could lead to unhealthy weight gain. Conclusion: This study provides further insight on NES specifically among female university students. Our study is at the forefront in demonstrating types of food consumed at late night in this group; which can potentially contribute to increased prevalence of obesity and non-communicable diseases.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Additional Information:	5037/87668
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Night eating syndrome, body mass index, eating habit, food preference, female, university students
Subjects:	R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology > RM216 Diet Therapy. Clinical Nutrition
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences > Department of Nutrition Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Psychology
Depositing User:	Dr. Aliza Haslinda Hamirudin
Date Deposited:	11 Jan 2021 13:46
Last Modified:	11 Jan 2021 13:46
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/87668

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