The role of premenstrual syndrome in hedonic hunger and food craving during the menstrual cycle

Differences in appetite, food intake, eating behaviours, and food preferences can occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is associated with significant emotional and physiological changes, including altered appetite and food cravings. Therefore, the relationship between PMS and hedonic hunger, food craving of individuals during the menstrual cycle phases were investigated in this study. This study was conducted on 150 women volunteers. Research data were collected using a web-based questionnaire. Four assessment stages were scheduled for each woman, and they were classified in phases according to the onset of menstruation. Participants completed premenstrual syndrome scale and anthropometric measurements were taken based on their statements at the initial assessment stage. In the first, second, and third phases of menstrual cycle, a questionnaire form including the power of food scale (PFS) and Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) were applied. The average age, age of menarche, menstrual cycle length, and bleeding time of the participants were 22.0 ± 2.0, 13 ± 1, 27.7 ± 3, 5.9 ± 1.3, respectively. Women with PMS showed significantly higher total PFS scores compared to those without PMS during the luteal phase (mean ± SD: 3.5 ± 0.6 vs. 2.9 ± 0.7, <i>p</i> < 0.01). Energy intake also increased significantly in the PMS group during this phase (mean ± SD: 2,200 ± 310 kcal/day vs. 1,880 ± 290 kcal/day, <i>p</i> < 0.01). The PFS total scores of participants in phase 1 and phase 2 differ significantly according to BMI classification (<i>p</i> = 0.017; <i>p</i> = 0.013). According to the presence of PMS, phase 1, phase 2, and phase 3, PFS total and sub-factor scores of women differ significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The scores of those with PMS were higher than the scores of those without PMS. In conclusion, the presence of PMS affects hedonic hunger during the menstrual cycle phases.