Objectives:

We explored associations between night eating and health outcomes in Latinos with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:

Participants (n = 85) completed surveys, were measured for anthropometrics, provided blood samples, and wore Holter monitors for 24 hours to assess heart rate variability.

Results:

Participant mean age was 60.0 years, hemoglobin A1c was 8.7%, most preferred Spanish (92%), and had less than a high school education (76%). Compared with their counterparts who denied night eating, night eaters had lower heart rate variability in the low (Cohen’s d = -0.55; P = 0.04) and very-low-frequency bands (d = -0.54, P = 0.05), and reported more emotional eating (d = 0.52, P = 0.04), and poorer sleep quality (Cohen’s h = 0.64). They did not differ on beverage intake or depressive symptoms. In regression that included depressive symptoms, associations between night eating and outcomes became nonsignificant.

Conclusions and implications:

Night eaters demonstrated worse health outcomes. If results are replicated, nutrition education for this population might focus on night eating.