--- title: Are food cravings and hedonic hunger linked to PMS? | Niyora description: Yes. Students with PMS had higher scores on hedonic hunger (eating for pleasure, not fuel) and food cravings. These were linked to emotional eating and to the url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/hedonic-hunger-and-food-cravings-understanding-their-role-in-premenstrual-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Are food cravings and hedonic hunger linked to PMS? Survey study, 2025 # Are food cravings and hedonic hunger linked to PMS? Yes. Students with PMS had higher scores on hedonic hunger (eating for pleasure, not fuel) and food cravings. These were linked to emotional eating and to the severity of PMS symptoms. Moderate study design 207 female undergraduate nursing students ## What they did Researchers surveyed 207 female undergraduate nursing students using questionnaires about PMS, hedonic hunger, food cravings, and emotional eating. ## What they found Of 207 students, 169 (81.6%) had PMS symptoms. Scores measuring hedonic hunger, food cravings, and emotional eating were all positively correlated with PMS severity. Food cravings was the strongest predictor of hedonic hunger. Together, PMS, hedonic hunger, and emotional eating predicted food cravings. ## What it means for you PMS appears linked to increased appetite driven by pleasure rather than hunger, stronger cravings for specific foods, and eating in response to emotions. Most nursing students in this study experienced PMS. This is a cross-sectional study, so it shows associations but not whether PMS causes these eating patterns or vice versa. Better nutrition education could help. 207 Nursing students surveyed 169 (81.6%) Students with PMS symptoms ## About the study Original title Hedonic hunger and food cravings: understanding their role in premenstrual syndrome among nursing students Authors Kocyigit E, Gumusay M, Demirel Ozbek Y Journal Frontiers in public health Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 207 What was tested None. This was a survey study. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1659974](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1659974) Original abstract Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), characterized by physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms occurring during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, affects more than 48% of women of reproductive age worldwide. The aim of the research is to examine the relationships between hedonic hunger, food cravings, and emotional eating in relation to PMS among Turkish female nursing students. Method: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted on 207 female undergraduate nursing students. Data were obtained using survey and a face-to-face interview method. The questionnaire includes general information, anthropometric measurements, the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), the Power of Food Scale (PFS), the Food Craving Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T), and the Emotional Eater Questionnaire (EEQ). Data analysis was performed with IBM SPSS V26 software. Results: In total, 169 (81.6%) PMS (+) and 38 (18.4%) PMS (-) female students participated in the study. The mean age was 21.09 ± 2.41 years, and the mean body mass index was 23.3 ± 4.07 kg/m2. The PFS-Tr, FCQ-T and EEQ total scores was positively correlated with PMSS scores. The strongest predictor for hedonic hunger was food cravings, whereas hedonic hunger, PMS, and emotional eating were significant factors for food cravings. PMS was a problem experienced by most of the students. The results indicate that the presence of PMS is associated with increased hedonic hunger, food cravings, and emotional eating tendencies among university students. Conclusion: Raising awareness of PMS and conducting nutrition-related trainings for university students would help them get the knowledge and skills they need to manage its symptoms. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2026 Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2025 Is emotional eating linked to PMS in university women? Survey study, 2025 What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2024 How much do Indonesian 9th graders know about PMS and what are their attitudes? Survey study, 2023 What factors make premenstrual syndrome worse in nursing students? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗