According to a new study, diabetics who engage in heavy eating at night could be upping their chances of experiencing serious complications as a result of their actions. The study, which was published by the medical journal Diabetes Care, points out a new danger that many diabetics may not be aware of, but that needs to be addressed nonetheless.
In the study, researchers discovered that out of 714 patients who came to their diabetes clinic, about 10% stated that they ate more than one-quarter of their daily caloric intake after dinnertime. The researchers also noted that the individuals who fell into this category were two to three times more likely to experience obesity, poor blood sugar control, and various complications due to their condition as well. (These multiple complications included kidney dysfunction, nerve damage, and heart disease.)
So why are some diabetics eating so much at night? It turns out that this behavior can be categorized as “night-eating syndrome,” a condition that was officially described in 1955 and that is considered to be a sleeping disorder by many professionals in the medical community.
Night-eating syndrome involves eating typically 40% or more of one’s caloric intake of food after dinner, where he/she may get up frequently to snack during the night. The foods that are consumed are usually high-carbohydrate, fatty, and sugary products that are seriously unhealthy. The syndrome has been associated with insomnia as well, which involves poor sleeping patterns, abnormal wakefulness, and a general inability to sleep.
Due to this bingeing at night, a person often wakes up feeling not hungry in the morning, which really can throw off regular, healthy eating habits. It turns out that the reason for this syndrome may be tied to “melatonin,” which is a hormone that accompanies and enhances sleep patterns in humans.
Other researchers who put out different studies note that people with the syndrome have a decrease in this hormone, which leads them to experience sleep disturbances and thus contributes to their getting up frequently at night so they can keep eating.
In the current study mentioned above, the researchers believe that the diabetics who reported eating at night may be doing so as a partial reaction to stress. In fact, diabetics who have these types of eating habits, such as night-eating syndrome, reported depression more frequently as well, including that they ate in response to their emotions such as sadness, anger, and other negative feelings.
Dr. Paul S. Ciechanowski, who is the co-author of the study, noted that he’s seen many diabetic patients who “eat to regulate their emotions.” Plus, he added that since nighttime is generally quieter and filled with fewer distractions, people tend to turn to dealing with their emotions. He also suggests that due to the link between night eating and the complications that can arise in diabetes patients, they should speak to their doctor if they exhibit such habits.
Your doctor may be able to help you if you suffer from both diabetes and night-eating syndrome. For starters, cognitive behavioral therapy may be of help, or failing that, according to Dr. Ciechanowski, a popular antidepressant may also help improve symptoms in some people who suffer from night-eating syndrome as well.
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Tags: cure diabetes, obesity
