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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
04:48
Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
Cognitive behavior therapy for night eating syndrome: a pilot study.
Kelly C Allison1, Jennifer D Lundgren, Reneé H Moore
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 3535 Market Street, 3rd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309, USA. kca@mail.med.upenn.edu
American Journal of Psychotherapy
|April 22, 2010
Summary
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) significantly improved night eating syndrome (NES) symptoms, reduced nocturnal ingestions, and aided weight loss in a pilot study. This suggests CBT is a promising psychotherapy for managing NES.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
Background:
- Night Eating Syndrome (NES) is a disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of night eating.
- No previous studies have investigated psychotherapy treatments for NES.
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a well-established psychotherapy for various psychiatric conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a pilot study of a 10-session CBT intervention for patients with NES.
- To assess the efficacy of CBT in reducing core NES symptoms, nocturnal ingestions, and body weight.
- To evaluate the impact of CBT on related factors such as mood and quality of life.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving 25 patients diagnosed with NES.
- Patients received a 10-session course of CBT.
- Data collected included Night Eating Symptom Scale (NESS) scores, body weight, nocturnal ingestions, caloric intake, number of awakenings, mood, and quality of life.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions were observed in caloric intake after dinner (35.0% to 24.9%), nocturnal ingestions (8.7 to 2.6 per week), and body weight (82.5 to 79.4 kg).
- NESS scores decreased significantly from 28.7 to 16.3 (p < 0.0001).
- Improvements were also noted in the number of awakenings per week, depressed mood, and quality of life (p < 0.02).
Conclusions:
- This pilot study provides the first evidence that CBT can significantly improve core symptoms of NES.
- CBT demonstrated effectiveness in reducing nocturnal eating behaviors and promoting weight loss.
- The findings support the need for a larger, controlled treatment trial to further validate CBT for NES.
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