Investigating the association between night eating symptoms and chronotype: the mediating role of depressive symptoms in a sample of Italian university students.

IF 2.9 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity Pub Date : 2025-03-15 DOI:10.1007/s40519-024-01707-y

Giulia Riccobono, Tommaso Barlattani, Valentina Socci, Edoardo Trebbi, Angela Iannitelli, Assunta Pompili, Francesca Pacitti

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the relationship between night eating symptoms, chronotype, and depressive symptoms among Italian university students.

Methods: The study assessed 905 students using self-report questionnaires, including the night eating questionnaire (NEQ), the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), and the Beck depression Inventory (BDI). The correlation between variables was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis, and mediation analysis was conducted using SPSS PROCESS Macro to estimate the association between variables.

Results: Among the students' sample, the mean age was 25.54 years, with an age range between 18 and 35, 68.7% were women, 15% were morning types with MEQ scores of 59 and above, 64.8% were intermediate types with MEQ scores between 42 and 58, 20.3% were evening types with MEQ scores of 41 and below, and 3.6% reached the criteria for night eating syndrome (NES). There was an inverse correlation between MEQ and BDI scores, higher BDI and lower MEQ scores, and a significant inverse correlation between NEQ and MEQ scores, higher NEQ and lower MEQ scores. Individuals with higher NEQ scores had higher BDI scores, indicating a significant positive correlation between night eating symptoms and depressive symptoms. MEQ had a statistically significant negative direct effect on BDI and NEQ variables. The direct impact of BDI on NEQ was positive and statistically significant. The indirect negative effect of MEQ on NEQ through BDI was also determined to be statistically significant.

Conclusion: The study found that depressive symptoms played a significant mediating role in the link between eveningness and night eating, with a partial mediation. Evening chronotype was associated with an elevated night eating score. The findings emphasize the importance of chronotherapeutic approaches in treating night eating. However, further research is necessary to elucidate the intricate relationship between these variables.

Level of evidence: Level III. Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.

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调查夜间进食症状与睡眠类型之间的关系：意大利大学生抑郁症状的中介作用。

目的：本研究旨在了解意大利大学生夜间进食症状、睡眠类型和抑郁症状之间的关系。方法：采用自述问卷对905名大学生进行问卷调查，包括夜间进食问卷（NEQ）、早晚性问卷（MEQ）和贝克抑郁量表（BDI）。变量间相关性分析采用Pearson相关分析，变量间相关性估计采用SPSS PROCESS Macro进行中介分析。结果：受访学生平均年龄25.54岁，年龄在18 ~ 35岁之间，女性占68.7%，晨型占15%，MEQ得分在59分及以上，中间型占64.8%，MEQ得分在42 ~ 58分之间，晚型占20.3%，MEQ得分在41分及以下，达到夜食综合征（NES）标准的占3.6%。MEQ与BDI呈负相关，BDI高与MEQ低呈负相关，NEQ与MEQ呈显著负相关，NEQ高与MEQ低呈显著负相关。NEQ得分较高的个体BDI得分也较高，这表明夜间进食症状与抑郁症状之间存在显著的正相关。MEQ对BDI和NEQ变量有显著的负向直接影响。BDI对NEQ的直接影响为正，具有统计学意义。MEQ通过BDI对NEQ的间接负作用也被确定为具有统计学意义。结论：研究发现，抑郁症状在夜猫子与夜食之间的联系中起着显著的中介作用，但有部分中介作用。夜间睡眠类型与夜间饮食得分升高有关。研究结果强调了时间疗法在治疗夜食中的重要性。然而，需要进一步的研究来阐明这些变量之间错综复杂的关系。证据等级：三级。证据来自设计良好的队列研究或病例对照分析研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

6.50

自引率

10.30%

发文量

170

审稿时长

>12 weeks

期刊介绍： Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity is a scientific journal whose main purpose is to create an international forum devoted to the several sectors of eating disorders and obesity and the significant relations between them. The journal publishes basic research, clinical and theoretical articles on eating disorders and weight-related problems: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, subthreshold eating disorders, obesity, atypical patterns of eating behaviour and body weight regulation in clinical and non-clinical populations.