The relationship between simple carbohydrate consumption, food addiction, and night eating syndrome in adult individuals diagnosed with depression

Background and Aim: The bidirectional relationship between depression's impact on food consumption and eating disorders is attracting increasing attention. Depression is frequently associated with conditions such as food addiction and night eating syndrome (NES). Furthermore, simple carbohydrate consumption can exacerbate mood disorders and negatively impact individuals' daily eating habits. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between simple carbohydrate consumption, food addiction, and NES in adults diagnosed with depression. Material and Methods: A total of 162 adults aged 18-64 with a diagnosis of depression volunteered to participate in the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire form that included sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements [body weight, height, body mass index (BMI)], 24-Hour Retrospective Food Intake Record, Simple Carbohydrate Frequency Form, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) and Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). Results: In the study, 70.4% of the depressed individuals were female, and the mean age was 32.85±10.88 years. A weak positive correlation was found between depression scale scores and simple carbohydrate consumption (glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, disaccharides, monosaccharides) (p<0.001). In individuals with depression scale scores, no significant correlation was found between MADRS and HAM-D total scores and body weight, BMI, waist circumference, waist/height ratio, waist/hip ratio, hip circumference, body fat percentage, fat mass, and lean mass (p>0.05). In individuals with depression, a positive correlation was found between NEQ and YFAS scores and body weight, BMI, fat percentage, and waist circumference, and a positive correlation was found with simple carbohydrate consumption and the glycemic index (GI) (p<0.05). NES was detected in 17.3% of the depressed patients who participated in the study, and a weakly positive statistically significant correlation was found between the total NEQ score and the MADRS (r:0.349, p=0.000) and HAM-D (r:0.335, p=0.000) total scores. 22.2% of the depressed patients who participated in the study were classified as food addicts, and a weakly positive statistically significant correlation was found between the total YFAS score and the MADRS (r:0.285, p=0.000) and HAM-D (r:0.256, p=0.001) total scores. In individuals with depression, a very weakly positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the total YFAS score and the total NEQ score (r:0.190, p=0.015). Conclusion: Significant correlations have been identified between depression, food addiction, and NES. High consumption of simple carbohydrates has been shown to be particularly effective in these eating disorders. These findings highlight the importance of evaluating both daily eating habits and mood support interventions in individuals diagnosed with depression.