The Relationship Between Daytime and Nighttime Food Intake in an Obese Night‐Eater

Abstract

Some obese individuals consume food during awakenings from nighttime sleep. Three studies were conducted on a 28-year-old morbidly obese male with chronic sleeping complaints and insignificant weight loss, despite self-reported daily caloric restriction: I. For 3 mo, the subject recorded food intake for 24-h periods. Mean daytime intake was 1286 kcal f 386 (SD), and mean nighttime intake was 1036 kcal f 487 (SD). Caloric values of daytime and nighttime intake were negatively correlated, r = -0.22, df= 82, p<.05.11. Seven consecutive 24-h food intake recordings were obtained with an automated formula dispenser when the subject was an inpatient on a metabolic ward and received ad libitum formula as his sole food source. Mean daytime intake was 1245 f 662 (SD), and mean nighttime intake was 231 f 236 (SD). There was a non-significant negative correlation between daytime and nighttime intake, r = -0.32, df = 5, NS. III. The subject underwent polysomnographic studies on 2 non-consecutive nights, following the administration of either a low (600 kcal) or high (1800 kcal) daytime caloric condition. The subject, upon awakening from nighttime sleep, could eat from a platter of sandwich quarters placed a t his bedside. The addition of 1200 kcal to daytime intake decreased nighttime intake by 654 kcal, or by 55% of the additional calories delivered during the day. The three studies (I, 11, and III) show that daytime food intake can be negatively correlated with nighttime intake, and that daytime intake can influence nighttime intake in a documented obese night-eater.

Nocturnal eating in binge eating disorder and matched-weight controls

“…Mood is poorer before binge episodes than before non-binge eating episodes (Elmore & de Castro, 1989;Lingswiler, Crowther, & Stephens, 1988), or when not eating (Greeno et al, 1994;Johnson & Larson, 1982). Sleep disorders have been hypothesized to play a role in nocturnal eating (Aronoff et al, 1994;Guirguis, 1986;Nadel, 1981;Oswald & Adam, 1986;Schenck, Hurwitz, Bundlie, & Mahowald, 1991;Schenck & Mahowald, 1994). The subjective quality of sleep experienced by subjects on evenings during which nocturnal eating occurred was generally better than expected; on the whole, subjects reported that the quality of sleep they experienced was "okay."…”

“…Researchers in both the fields of eating and sleep have speculated that night eating may be associated with other clinical problems. Four areas in particular have been identified, (1) overweight (Aronoff et al, 1994;Coates, 1978;Kuldau & Rand, 1986;Rand & Kuldau, 1986;Schenck & Mahowald, 1994;Stunkard, 1959Stunkard, ,1976Stunkard et al, 1955;Whyte & Kavey, 1990); (2) binge eating (Guirguis, 1986;McSherry & Ashman, 1990;Roper, 1989;Schenck & Mahowald, 1994;Williamson et al, 1989) Rand, 1986;Rand & Kuldau, 1986;Stunkard, 1959Stunkard, ,1976Stunkard et al, 1955); and (4) anxiety or negative mood (Bigsby & Muniz, 1967;Coates, 1978;McSherry & Ashman, 1990;Stunkard, 1959Stunkard, , 1976Whyte & Kavey, 1990). Systematic study of the symptom of nocturnal eating as it relates to these problems is warranted.…”

Night time eating: a review of the literature

“…In case studies behavioural treatments of NES and NEDS have been described with varying success (Aronoff, Geliebter, Hashim, & Zammit, 1994;Coats, 1978;Oswald & Adam, 1986;Williamson, Lawson, Bennett, & Hinz, 1989). One case report has shown bright light therapy to be successful (Friedman, Even, Dardennes, & Guelfi, 2002).…”

Two forms of disordered eating in obesity: binge eating and night eating

“…One polysomnographic study of a subject who ate while fully conscious found that he awoke to eat during stage II sleep. 106 Spaggiari et al 98 studied 10 night eaters polysomnographically; all were awake and fully aware of their eating episodes. Their awakenings occurred during NREM sleep, and they returned to sleep quickly after their ingestions.…”