Night eating syndrome is associated with the nutritional status among college students in Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the prevalence of night eating syndrome, nutritional status, and the relationship between the two among college students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 156 college students was conducted using quota sampling techniques. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data on night eating syndrome, and the study team provided direct measurements of nutritional status. Chi-square test analysis was to determine the link between night eating syndrome and the nutritional status, while the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was performed to determine the presence of confounding variables.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 20.5 % were overweight, while 34 % were diagnosed with night eating syndrome. Night eating syndrome was significantly linked to the nutritional status (p=0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant statistical association was found between night eating syndrome and the nutritional status of college students. Those experiencing night eating syndrome were 2.77 times more likely to be overweight.