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.