Investigating the Impact of Night Eating Disorder Upon Quality of Life Among University College Students, India

Abstract

Background: The association between night eating and quality of life has been well documented and seemingly has had an impact on both sleep quality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, recent evidence about this relationship among university students is limited, and research on eating disorders (ED) is sporadic. The aims of this study are to investigate the prevalence of eating disorders and to explore the associations between these outcomes with body mass index (BMI), insomnia, and HRQoL among Delhi University students. Material and Methods: A questionnaire on night eating questionnaire (NEQ) (night eating) along with subscale on morning anorexia, delayed morning meal, evening hyperphagia, sleep disturbance and the Form-36 health quality survey was administered to a convenience sample of 524 students (284 females and 240 males, mean age: 19.66 ± 2.26 years), attending one of the largest Indian universities. Data were collected during May to July 2022. Results: Prevalence of night eating syndrome (NES) in the population was found to be 33%, of which 48% were females. People suffering from morning anorexia and night awakening have much lower mental health composite scores (MCS) and physical health composite scores (PCS). Furthermore, the presence of evening hyperphagia was found to be a significant predictor of PCS scores. A total of 49% of the participants showed poor sleep quality, whereas only 13% reported insomnia symptoms. Conclusion: NES is found to be more common among girls in the Indian context. The presence of morning anorexia and night awakening was also observed to have a significant impact on both the physical and mental component scores of the quality of life index, which confirms the relevance of sleep and disciplined eating habits as major contributors to students’ well-being and thereby attainment of a better quality of life.