Investigating the associations between chronotype, physical activity, premenstrual syndrome, hunger, and food choice among Turkish women

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between chronotype and premenstrual syndromes with food preferences and appetite among 931 women aged 18-40 who attended a private nutrition clinic in Istanbul. The survey data were analyzed using SPSS v27. Based on voluntary participation, questionnaires consisting of sociodemographic questions, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PSS), Simplified Appetite Questionnaire (SAQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (Short Form) (IPAQ), and Food Choice Test (FCT) were administered to women. As the age of the participants increased, a decrease in the 'PSS Total' score and an increase in the 'MEQ Total' score were observed (p < 0.05). As the age of the participants increased, a decrease in the 'PSS Total' score and an increase in the 'MEQ Total' score were observed (p < 0.05). As body weight and BMI values increased, increases in the evening chronotype,'PSS Total', 'SAQ Total', and FCT's 'Price', 'Convenience', 'Weight Control', 'Natural Content', 'Health', and 'Emotional Appeal' scores, and 'MEQ Total' score decreased were observed (p < 0.05). As the 'SAQ Total' scores increase, the 'PSS Total' score also increases (p < 0.05), while the 'MEQ Total' score decreases (p < 0.01). The increase in the scores of the FCT sub-factors 'Health', 'Mood', 'Convenience', 'Emotional Appeal', 'Natural Content', 'Price', 'Weight Control', 'Ethical Concern', and 'Familiarity' caused an increase in the 'PSS Total' score (p < 0.05). As the FCT sub-factors 'Mood', 'Emotional Appeal', 'Convenience', and 'Price' scores increased, the 'MEQ Total' score decreased (p < 0.001). As the IPAQ total score increased, the 'MEQ Total' score also increased (p < 0.001), and there was no decrease in the 'PSS Total', 'SAQ Total', and FCT sub-factor scores. In conclusion, as PMS increased, physical activity scores decreased, appetite increased, and food preferences tended towards emotionally attractive foods and an evening chronotype.

Keywords: Premenstrual syndrome; body mass index; exercise; food preference; hunger.