Survey study, 1987
Do food cravings change during the menstrual cycle?
Yes. Both food cravings and the amount women ate were higher in the 10 days before menstruation than in the 10 days after. This difference was not explained by mood changes.
What they did
Cross-sectional study. 32 female undergraduates tracked what they ate, their cravings, and their mood daily for 5 or more weeks. The researchers compared the 10 days before menstruation with the 10 days after menstruation started.
What they found
Both food cravings and amount eaten were higher in the 10 days before menstruation than in the 10 days after menstruation began. Women reported less positive mood in the days before menstruation, but there was no link between mood and cravings or food intake. Chronic dieters craved less than non-dieters.
What it means for you
Food cravings do increase before menstruation, likely for biological reasons rather than mood-related reasons. This was a small study of university students and may not apply to all women.
32
women studied
10 days
time period compared before and after menstruation
About the study
- Original title
- Food cravings, mood, and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Cohen IT, Sherwin BB, Fleming AS
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 1987
- Study design
- Survey study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0018-506x(87)90004-3
Topics
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