Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, 207 High Street, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, USA. rstriegel@wesleyan.edu
OBJECTIVE: To review the empirical literature for evidence in support of inclusion of Night Eating Syndrome (NES) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. METHOD: Based on a literature search using PubMed, 47 empirical studies of NES were identified. RESULTS: The literature reflects use of varying definitions; progress has been made toward reliable measurement of night eating symptoms; evidence regarding a differentiation of NES from "normalcy" or from other eating disorders is based largely on samples of convenience; only one controlled treatment study has been published. DISCUSSION: There are limited data supporting the clinical utility and validity of NES; several options regarding the inclusion of NES in DSM-V are discussed.