Sleep problems are associated with binge eating in women

OBJECTIVE: We examined the association among current self-reported sleep problems, lifetime binge eating (BE), and current obesity in women from the Swedish Twin study of Adults: Genes and Environment. METHOD: Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate these associations in 3,790 women aged 20-47 years. RESULTS: BE was reported by 244 (6.4%) women and was positively associated with not getting enough sleep (p < .015), sleeping poorly (p < .001), problems falling asleep (p < .001), feeling sleepy during work or free time (p < .001), and disturbed sleep (p < .001). These same sleep variables, as well as napping and being a night person, were also significantly associated with obesity. The associations between BE and sleep remained after accounting for obesity. DISCUSSION: This investigation offers empirical support for an independent association between sleep problems and BE, which is likely due to complex psychological, biological, neuroendocrine, and metabolic factors.