Factor structure of the Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) and an evaluation of the diagnostic criteria of the night eating syndrome

Abstract

BackgroundThe Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) is a validated assessment of the night eating syndrome (NES) based on the proposed diagnostic criteria. While past results show that NEDQ is associated with psychopathology and body mass index (BMI), the relationships between the proposed NES diagnostic criteria and psychopathology and BMI have not been investigated. Thus, the relationships between the proposed NES diagnostic criteria and factors previously associated with NES, namely depression, “food addiction” (FA), sleep quality, and BMI were examined. Finally, the NEDQ factor structure was examined for the first time in order to determine whether the NEDQ is assessing NES appropriately.MethodsThe NEDQ, depression, sleep quality, and FA questionnaires were administered to a sample of older community members (n = 468) and a student sample (n = 254). Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed to examine the factor structure of the NEDQ. The relationships between the proposed diagnostic criteria and depression, sleep quality, FA, and BMI were examined using multiple regression.ResultsThe proposed NES criteria were highly intercorrelated. PCA revealed a single factor solution for the NEDQ. In the community sample, depression was associated with the presence of five of nine proposed diagnostic criteria while poor sleep quality and FA were associated with the presence of seven and six criteria respectively. In the community sample, only the sleep problems and impairment/distress criteria were positively associated with BMI. In the student sample, fewer criteria were associated with psychopathology, and no criteria were associated with BMI.ConclusionsThese findings support the proposed criteria for diagnosis of NES. All proposed criteria were associated with at least one psychopathology measure. BMI was only associated with the sleep problems and impairment/distress criteria in the community sample. The PCA finding of a single factor indicates that the NEDQ is a cohesive assessment of NES, and that the NEDQ is a good measure of NES criteria.

A Scoping Review on the Association between Night Eating Syndrome and Physical Health, Health-Related Quality of Life, Sleep and Weight Status in Adults

“…A variety of tools were used to diagnose NES. including the Other Specified Feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM5) [ 1 ], Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) [ 47 ], Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) [ 48 ], Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) [ 49 ], Night Eating Syndrome History and Inventory (NESHI) [ 50 ] and Eating Among Teens Survey (EAT-II) [ 51 ]. The discrepancies between the diagnostic criteria used reiterates the need for further research to obtain accurate data regarding the diagnosis and the complications of NES.…”

“…Furthermore, three studies utilised the NEDQ as the sole measure to classify diagnostic criteria for NES [ 17 , 21 , 42 ]. The NEDQ is a 22-item questionnaire which employs a hierarchical scoring method to allocate participants into four categories (normal, mild, moderate and full syndrome) based on the number of symptoms of NES that are present [ 48 ].…”

“…Some studies utilised only one method to assess NES, while others used a combination of interview, DSM criteria and questionnaires. Twenty-seven studies [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ] utilised the NEQ [ 47 ] as the diagnostic criterion for NES and three studies [ 17 , 21 , 42 ] used the NEDQ [ 48 ]. Other measures of NES used in these studies included the EDE-Q [ 49 ], NESHI [ 50 ] and EAT-II [ 51 ]; however, these were used as adjuncts to the NEQ [ 47 ] and NEDQ [ 48 ].…”

Night Eating Syndrome and Palatable Eating Motives Among Medical Students

“…The NEDQ is composed by 22 questions (often yes/no) assessing mood, sleep difficulties, morning anorexia, food cravings, food intake after evening meal, nocturnal awakenings with ingestion of food, awareness, and feelings of control during eating episodes. [14].…”

“…We assessed the subjects' sleep pattern by PSQI, showing that the subjects' sleep quality was 9 (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16) or generally categorized as poor quality. As many as 59% of the subjects had a poor sleep quality, and 32% of them had a very poor quality.…”