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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Psychiatry

Sec. Psychological Therapy and Psychosomatics

Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1626342

This article is part of the Research TopicExpanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions for Mental Health: Innovation, Access, and EquityView all articles

Pharmacological and Psychosocial Interventions for Night Eating Syndrome in Adults

Provisionally accepted
LUCAS  RIBEIRO DOS SANTOSLUCAS RIBEIRO DOS SANTOS1,2*Marcio Luis  DuarteMarcio Luis Duarte2Virginia  Moca TrevisaniVirginia Moca Trevisani1Maria Stella  PeccinMaria Stella Peccin1Tamara  MelnikTamara Melnik1
  • 1Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
  • 2UNAERP, Guarujá, Brazil

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Background: Pathological dietary patterns are influenced by various interacting factors, including psychoactive drugs, psychological and biological conditions, and environmental determinants, and are frequently associated with failure in conventional weight loss treatments, especially in obese individuals. Night eating syndrome (NES) is characterized by excessive food consumption at night, often linked to disrupted circadian rhythms and psychosocial triggers. Methods: This review evaluated pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for NES in adults. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing psychological or pharmacological interventions versus control groups were included. Primary outcomes were symptom improvement (reduced nighttime eating/awakenings) and weight loss. Secondary outcomes included changes in quality of life, psychiatric comorbidities, sleep quality, interpersonal functioning, and patient satisfaction. We conducted a systematic search in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Psych INFO, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform.Results: A total of 5 RCTs were included. Due to heterogeneity in interventions, a meta-analysis was not feasible, and results were presented narratively. Pharmacological interventions trials (Sertraline, Escitalopram, Agomelatine) showed mixed results in reducing NES symptoms, with Sertraline demonstrating the most significant improvements. Psychosocial interventions, including progressive muscle relaxation and education, also showed some benefits, particularly in reducing evening food intake and improving morning hunger. Weight loss outcomes were variable, with some trials showing modest weight loss in intervention groups.Both pharmacological and psychosocial interventions may provide potential benefits in treating NES. Sertraline shows promise in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life, while psychosocial interventions, particularly progressive muscle relaxation, can modify eating behaviors. However, the heterogeneity of interventions and limited number of studies and subjects included determined a downgraded level of recommendation in GRADE for all outcomes to LOW, suggesting gaps and the need for further research to establish optimal treatment strategies for NES.

Keywords: Obesity, night eating syndrome, food addiction, Eating Disorder, Psychotherapy, Night eating questionnaire, • Night Eating Syndrome History and Inventory, • Night Eating Syndrome Symptom Scale

Received: 10 May 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 DOS SANTOS, Duarte, Trevisani, Peccin and Melnik. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: LUCAS RIBEIRO DOS SANTOS, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

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