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Table 2 Proposed NES Diagnostic Criteria as Assessed by the NEDQ

From: Factor structure of the Night Eating Diagnostic Questionnaire (NEDQ) and an evaluation of the diagnostic criteria of the night eating syndrome

A. One or both of the following.

 1) At least 25% of food intake is consumed after the evening meal.

 2) At least two nocturnal eating episodes per week.

B. Awareness and recall of evening and nocturnal eating episodes are present.

C. At least three of the following.

 1) Lack of desire to eat in the morning and/or breakfast is omitted four or more times per week.

 2) Presence of a strong urge to eat between dinner and sleep onset and/or during the night.

 3) Sleep maintenance and/or onset insomnia are present four or more times per week.

 4) Presence of a belief that one must eat in order to initiate or return to sleep.

 5) Mood is frequently depressed or mood is worse in evening.

D. The disorder is associated with significant distress and/or impairment in functioning.

E. Maintenance of disordered eating for at least 3 months.

F. The disorder is not secondary to substance abuse or dependence, medical disorder, medication, or another psychiatric disorder.)

Experimental Hierarchical Scoring

 0. Non-NE = normal (does not meet any criteria category below)

 1. N = mild night eater has at least 1 criterion from A (but does not meet criteria for NE or NES)

 2. NE = moderate night eater has at least 1 criterion from A plus ≥3 of 5 qualifiers from criteria C (but does not meet criteria for NES)

 3. NES = full syndrome night eater has at least 1 criterion from A plus ≥3 of 5 qualifiers from criteria C plus D and E