Prevalence of night eating syndrome and associated factors among students at Kolej MARA Kuala Nerang: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Night eating syndrome (NES) is an eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of night eating, morning anorexia and insomnia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and association of NES with depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality and eating disorders among students in Kolej MARA Kuala Nerang (KMKN).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 426 students in KMKN. The calculated minimum sample size was 119. A universal sampling method was used, and data on sociodemographic characteristics, NES, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality and eating disorders were collected through online self-reported validated questionnaires including the Night Eating Questionnaire; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; and Eating Attitudes Test-26. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 22. The chi-square test was used to evaluate the association of NES with sociodemographic characteristics and other factors (P<0.05).
Results: A total of 275 students responded (men: 55.6%, women: 44.4%), with 50.9% studying at the Foundation of Science and 49.1% at the Foundation of Science and Technology (FIST). The majority had mild-to-severe depression (56.4%) and anxiety (65.5%); 26.2% were stressed, and 10.2% engaged in NES. NES was not significantly associated with sex, age, monthly pocket money or body mass index. A significant number of students with NES were from the FIST (P=0.036). The factors significantly related to NES were depression (P=0.003), anxiety (P=0.021), stress (P<0.001), poor sleep quality (P=0.001) and risk of eating disorders (P=0.003).
Conclusion: NES should be screened among at-risk college students to ensure they receive appropriate treatment.