Sleep deprivation and food intake in participants reporting or not binge eating symptoms: the role of emotional eating

Introduction: Acute partial sleep deprivation has been shown to consis- tently increase food intake. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of sleep deprivation on food intake in individuals reporting or not binge eating symptoms, controlling for self-reported emotional eating (EE). Materials and methods: Twenty-eight participants (age M1⁄4 23.75 ± 4.03, 21% male), 14 reporting symptoms of binge eating and 14 healthy controls, were assessed before breakfast after a night of habitual sleep and after a night of partial sleep deprivation (5 h of sleep allowed) in a counterbalanced order. They were then offered a large and varied breakfast (sweet and salty food), in which food intake was unobtrusively measured. Food intake throughout the day was also measured via a food diary. Sleep was monitored through sleep diaries and an electronic portable device called Zeo was used to objectively control the compli- ance to the instructions. Results: A repeated measures ANCOVA revealed a significant NIGHT*EE interaction. Using a median split, a Low-EE and a High-EE group were created. A repeated measures ANOVAs Night (habitual vs. sleep- deprived) * Group (Low-EE vs. High-EE) revealed a significant Night* Group interaction (F(1,26) 1⁄4 4.42, p 1⁄4 .045) and a marginal Group effect (F(1,26) 1⁄4 3.25, p 1⁄4 .083) on food intake at breakfast. Simple effects revealed that Low-EE participants ate less after sleep deprivation (M1⁄4 397.09 ± 182.72 Kcal) than after the habitual night (M1⁄4 488.72 ± 242 Kcal; t 1⁄4 2.66, p1⁄4 .02). A significant Night*Group interaction (F(1,26) 1⁄4 4.28, p 1⁄4 .049) was also found for the daily food intake. Simple effects revealed that daily food intake of Low-EE participants was higher after sleep deprivation (M1⁄4 1907.42 ± 611.17 Kcal) than after the habitual night (M1⁄4 1673.36 ± 507.57 Kcal; t 1⁄4 2.44, p1⁄4 .03). A significant effect of the Night (F(1, 26) 1⁄4 7.12, p1⁄4 .013) was found on the amount of snacks consumed throughout the day: both groups consumed a higher number of snacks after the deprivation night (M1⁄4 2.32 ± 1.76 Kcal) compared to after the habitual night (M 1⁄4 1.68 ± 1.25 Kcal). Conclusion: Findings suggest that sleep deprivation may increase snack consumption in participants regardless of binge eating symptoms. More- over, daily food intake may increase after sleep deprivation only in people that do not report emotional eating.