A Scoping Review of Comorbidity of Night Eating Syndrome and Specified or Other Specified Eating Disorders
Ruth S. Weissman¹, Ava Hogan¹, Isabella Pruscino¹, Taylor Penwell², Sarah Attaway², Caitlin Martin-Wagar^2
1Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, United States/²University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States

Objective. Since its introduction as “a pattern of food intake among certain obese patients,” experts have held divergent views on whether night eating syndrome (NES) may be diagnosed in the presence of another eating disorder (ED). The DSM-5 (2013) lists NES under Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder, not to be diagnosed in the context of another ED. Yet, research criteria (Allison et al., 2010) permit an NES diagnosis in people with other ED diagnoses. We sought to examine how researchers have approached comorbidity of NES and other EDs. Method. We searched PubMed and PsycInfo titles/abstracts for English language papers of “night eating syndrome” from 1/2013 to 8/17/2023, excluding reviews or studies of samples ages <18 years or <10 participants. Two authors independently coded each article for eligibility, methods to diagnose EDs, and comorbidity data. Results. Twelve of 63 studies reported on comorbidity of NES and other EDs, mostly in patient samples. Binge-eating disorder (BED) was most studied and, in patient samples, the most common comorbid ED (23% - 84%). In contrast, a student sample found that anorexia nervosa was the most common comorbid ED (13.4%). Discussion. Methodological differences preclude clear conclusions about comordidity of NES and other EDs. Notably limited are studies of anorexia nervosa, possibly due to a longstanding interest in NES as a disorder of obesity. Systematic studies should determine the co-occurrence of NES and all other EDs.

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Assessment/Classification