Night eating symptoms impact body mass index through sleep-related factors rather than depressive symptoms and impulsivity: Evidence from a medical student population

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between night eating symptoms (NES) and body mass index (BMI) in medical students and to examine the potential mediating role of impulsivity, depressive symptoms and sleep-related factors in this relationship. The study included 408 medical students in their first to third years of study. Participants were asked to complete the sociodemographic information form, Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and Patient Health Questionnaire Depressive Symptom Scale (PHQ-9). The results of our study support the existence of a relationship between NES and BMI. Among the potential mediators in this relationship, a mediating role of sleep quality rather than depressive symptoms and impulsivity, was identified. Sleep latency, a component related to sleep quality, was found to have an effect on BMI. Studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to improve sleep hygiene for weight control in NES patients.