{"id":{"repo_id":"cent-lancashire","oai_identifier":"oai:clok.uclan.ac.uk:3569"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cent-lancashire/oai:clok.uclan.ac.uk:3569","repository":{"repo_id":"cent-lancashire","name":"University of Central Lancashire","base_url":"https://clok.uclan.ac.uk/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"Identification of Night Eating Behaviour and Investigation into Its Characteristics in an Obese Population","abstract":"Background Night Eating Syndrome (NES) was characterised in 2003 as comprising; morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia, night-time awakenings, consumption of high calorie snacks during awakenings and an absence of other eating disorders (ED). Method An identification study was conducted in a hospital–based UK obesity clinic with 81 individuals undertaking a diagnostic interview and completing a proposed screening tool. Full NES (n=7) and partial NES (n=24) individuals were combined into one Night Eating Behaviour (NEB) group (n=31) and compared to all other participants (n=50). NEB characteristics were identified through qualitative thematic analysis of interview data, based on techniques used by Grounded Theorists. NEB individuals (n=28) were compared with matched controls. In a separate prevalence study, night-eating, sleep quality and suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) were estimated in 103 participants using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and a validated Night Eating Questionnaire. Correlational analysis was also performed. Results In the identification study, full NES was rare (9%). Comparison of the NEB and non-NEB group showed significant differences in mood (p=0.001), work status (p= 0.03), perceived lack of control over eating (p= 0.03) and variability in sleep duration (p<0.01). The study tool successfully identified NEB, but not other ED. Interview analysis identified the compulsive nature of night-eating and chaotic eating patterns. A variety of physical factors affected night-time awakenings. The matched control comparison showed no difference in levels of significant life events, childhood-onset obesity and poor sleep quality. Prevalence study results showed; suspected NES 14.6% (n=15), based on a lower cut score of >25, 3.9% (n=4), based on a higher cut score of >30, poor sleep quality 74% (n= 76) and suspected OSA 32% (n= 33). A strong relationship (r = 0.55, p = < 0.001) between night-eating and poor sleep quality was found, with day-time sleepiness having no influence over this relationship. Conclusion Comparison of the study findings with new NES criteria (2010) shows poor differentiation between NES and morbid obesity. In obese populations, a shift of focus is proposed to an alternative ‘Impaired Sleep Syndrome’ of which night-eaters may be a sub-group, often with severe depression. Night-eaters also exhibit too many features of other ED for this relationship to be ignored.","abstract_html":"Background Night Eating Syndrome (NES) was characterised in 2003 as comprising; morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia, night-time awakenings, consumption of high calorie snacks during awakenings and an absence of other eating disorders (ED). Method An identification study was conducted in a hospital–based UK obesity clinic with 81 individuals undertaking a diagnostic interview and completing a proposed screening tool. Full NES (n=7) and partial NES (n=24) individuals were combined into one Night Eating Behaviour (NEB) group (n=31) and compared to all other participants (n=50). NEB characteristics were identified through qualitative thematic analysis of interview data, based on techniques used by Grounded Theorists. NEB individuals (n=28) were compared with matched controls. In a separate prevalence study, night-eating, sleep quality and suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) were estimated in 103 participants using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and a validated Night Eating Questionnaire. Correlational analysis was also performed. Results In the identification study, full NES was rare (9%). Comparison of the NEB and non-NEB group showed significant differences in mood (p=0.001), work status (p= 0.03), perceived lack of control over eating (p= 0.03) and variability in sleep duration (p&lt;0.01). The study tool successfully identified NEB, but not other ED. Interview analysis identified the compulsive nature of night-eating and chaotic eating patterns. A variety of physical factors affected night-time awakenings. The matched control comparison showed no difference in levels of significant life events, childhood-onset obesity and poor sleep quality. Prevalence study results showed; suspected NES 14.6% (n=15), based on a lower cut score of &gt;25, 3.9% (n=4), based on a higher cut score of &gt;30, poor sleep quality 74% (n= 76) and suspected OSA 32% (n= 33). A strong relationship (r = 0.55, p = &lt; 0.001) between night-eating and poor sleep quality was found, with day-time sleepiness having no influence over this relationship. Conclusion Comparison of the study findings with new NES criteria (2010) shows poor differentiation between NES and morbid obesity. In obese populations, a shift of focus is proposed to an alternative ‘Impaired Sleep Syndrome’ of which night-eaters may be a sub-group, often with severe depression. Night-eaters also exhibit too many features of other ED for this relationship to be ignored.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cleator, Jacqueline"],"institution":"University of Central Lancashire","degree_name":"phd","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-12","date_published":"2011-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:38Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cleator, Jacqueline"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2011-12-15"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["School of Health"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Central Lancashire"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["phd"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/2/Cleator%20Jackie%20e-Thesis%20Submission%20Form.doc","https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/4/Cleator%20Jackie%20Final%20e-Thesis%20%28Master%20Copy%29.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background Night Eating Syndrome (NES) was characterised in 2003 as comprising; morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia, night-time awakenings, consumption of high calorie snacks during awakenings and an absence of other eating disorders (ED). Method An identification study was conducted in a hospital–based UK obesity clinic with 81 individuals undertaking a diagnostic interview and completing a proposed screening tool. Full NES (n=7) and partial NES (n=24) individuals were combined into one Night Eating Behaviour (NEB) group (n=31) and compared to all other participants (n=50). NEB characteristics were identified through qualitative thematic analysis of interview data, based on techniques used by Grounded Theorists. NEB individuals (n=28) were compared with matched controls. In a separate prevalence study, night-eating, sleep quality and suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) were estimated in 103 participants using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and a validated Night Eating Questionnaire. Correlational analysis was also performed. Results In the identification study, full NES was rare (9%). Comparison of the NEB and non-NEB group showed significant differences in mood (p=0.001), work status (p= 0.03), perceived lack of control over eating (p= 0.03) and variability in sleep duration (p<0.01). The study tool successfully identified NEB, but not other ED. Interview analysis identified the compulsive nature of night-eating and chaotic eating patterns. A variety of physical factors affected night-time awakenings. The matched control comparison showed no difference in levels of significant life events, childhood-onset obesity and poor sleep quality. Prevalence study results showed; suspected NES 14.6% (n=15), based on a lower cut score of >25, 3.9% (n=4), based on a higher cut score of >30, poor sleep quality 74% (n= 76) and suspected OSA 32% (n= 33). A strong relationship (r = 0.55, p = < 0.001) between night-eating and poor sleep quality was found, with day-time sleepiness having no influence over this relationship. Conclusion Comparison of the study findings with new NES criteria (2010) shows poor differentiation between NES and morbid obesity. In obese populations, a shift of focus is proposed to an alternative ‘Impaired Sleep Syndrome’ of which night-eaters may be a sub-group, often with severe depression. Night-eaters also exhibit too many features of other ED for this relationship to be ignored."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/msword","application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Identification of Night Eating Behaviour and Investigation into Its Characteristics in an Obese Population"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Cleator, Jacqueline"],"dc:date":["2011-12-15"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["Background Night Eating Syndrome (NES) was characterised in 2003 as comprising; morning anorexia, evening hyperphagia, night-time awakenings, consumption of high calorie snacks during awakenings and an absence of other eating disorders (ED). Method An identification study was conducted in a hospital–based UK obesity clinic with 81 individuals undertaking a diagnostic interview and completing a proposed screening tool. Full NES (n=7) and partial NES (n=24) individuals were combined into one Night Eating Behaviour (NEB) group (n=31) and compared to all other participants (n=50). NEB characteristics were identified through qualitative thematic analysis of interview data, based on techniques used by Grounded Theorists. NEB individuals (n=28) were compared with matched controls. In a separate prevalence study, night-eating, sleep quality and suspected Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) were estimated in 103 participants using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and a validated Night Eating Questionnaire. Correlational analysis was also performed. Results In the identification study, full NES was rare (9%). Comparison of the NEB and non-NEB group showed significant differences in mood (p=0.001), work status (p= 0.03), perceived lack of control over eating (p= 0.03) and variability in sleep duration (p<0.01). The study tool successfully identified NEB, but not other ED. Interview analysis identified the compulsive nature of night-eating and chaotic eating patterns. A variety of physical factors affected night-time awakenings. The matched control comparison showed no difference in levels of significant life events, childhood-onset obesity and poor sleep quality. Prevalence study results showed; suspected NES 14.6% (n=15), based on a lower cut score of >25, 3.9% (n=4), based on a higher cut score of >30, poor sleep quality 74% (n= 76) and suspected OSA 32% (n= 33). A strong relationship (r = 0.55, p = < 0.001) between night-eating and poor sleep quality was found, with day-time sleepiness having no influence over this relationship. Conclusion Comparison of the study findings with new NES criteria (2010) shows poor differentiation between NES and morbid obesity. In obese populations, a shift of focus is proposed to an alternative ‘Impaired Sleep Syndrome’ of which night-eaters may be a sub-group, often with severe depression. Night-eaters also exhibit too many features of other ED for this relationship to be ignored."],"dc:format":["application/msword","application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/2/Cleator%20Jackie%20e-Thesis%20Submission%20Form.doc","https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/4/Cleator%20Jackie%20Final%20e-Thesis%20%28Master%20Copy%29.pdf"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["School of Health"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Central Lancashire"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://knowledge.lancashire.ac.uk/id/eprint/3569/"],"dc:title":["Identification of Night Eating Behaviour and Investigation into Its Characteristics in an Obese Population"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["phd"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:35:38Z"}