Evaluation of the relationship between eating behavior and chronotype in overweight and obese patients

Aim: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between eating behaviors and chronotypes in patients attending the family medicine obesity clinic at a university hospital. Materials and Methods: The population of our study consisted of 420 individuals aged 18-65 who met the inclusion criteria and applied to the Family Medicine Obesity Clinic of Düzce University Research and Application Hospital between 18.02.2025 and 31.05.2025. Data were collected by applying a sociodemographic data form, the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, and the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire to the participants. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS v.22 software. Results: A total of 420 participants were included in our study, and no significant relationship was found between eating behaviors and chronotypes. However, significant differences in eating behaviors were observed between individuals who were dieting and those who were not. Restrained and emotional eating scores were significantly higher in dieters compared to non-dieters (p<0.001). Eating behaviors also showed significant differences according to the number of meals consumed. Restrained eating scores were highest among those consuming 1 and 2 meals, while they were lower in those consuming 3 or more meals (p=0.003). Emotional eating scores were highest in individuals consuming 4 or more meals, with borderline significance compared to other groups (p<0.050). External eating scores increased with the number of meals consumed, with the highest value observed in the group consuming 4 or more meals (p<0.001). When eating behaviors were examined by gender, women had significantly higher restrained and emotional eating scores compared to men (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively). External eating scores did not show a significant difference between women and men (p=0.213). Conclusion: No significant relationship was found between eating behaviors and chronotype in our study. This suggests that eating behaviors may be more strongly associated not only with biological rhythms but also with other individual and environmental factors such as dieting status, meal patterns, and gender. Considering these individual characteristics is important in the fight against obesity.