Prevalence and correlates of night eating syndrome among Chinese nurses: focus on depression and sleep quality.

Background: Nurses are at a heightened risk for Night Eating Syndrome (NES) due to circadian rhythm disruptions from shift work, chronic stress, and irregular eating patterns. While the global prevalence of NES is rising, its status within the large and critical nursing workforce of China remains poorly understood. Specifically, there is a lack of data on the prevalence and unique work-related psychosocial factors associated with NES among Chinese nurses. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of NES and identify its key influencing factors among clinical nurses in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was adopted. Using convenience sampling, 311 nursing staff from three Class-A tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province were recruited as study participants from June to July 2025. Univariate χ2 test and Mann-Whitney U test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the associated factors influencing nurses' NES. Results: Among 311 nurses, 14 were diagnosed with NES, yielding a prevalence rate of 4.5%. Statistically significant differences in NES prevalence were observed across departments, alcohol consumption status, night shift assignments, sleep quality, and self-reported depressive symptoms (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis further identified the following independent risk factors for NES: working in ICU departments (OR = 14.660, 95% CI: 1.565-137.287, p = 0.019), sleep disturbances (OR = 1.339, 95% CI: 1.057-1.696, p = 0.016), and depression (OR = 1.083, 95% CI: 1.008-1.164, p = 0.030). Conclusion: This study indicates that, after adjusting for covariates, NES among Chinese nurses is significantly associated with departmental exposure, impaired sleep quality, and worsened depressive symptoms. To address this, hospital administrators should prioritize optimizing night shift scheduling in high-risk departments while integrating sleep management protocols and depression interventions. By preventing NES, these measures can enhance nurses' physical and mental wellbeing and improve nursing care quality.