---
title: Does how stressed women feel after eating behavior change based on menstrual cycle status?
description: Yes, in women with anorexia nervosa. Those with regular menstrual cycles felt less stressed after skipping meals, while those with irregular cycles felt more
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/stress-and-eating-disorder-behavior-in-anorexia-nervosa-as-a-function-of-2014/
---

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- Does how stressed women feel after eating behavior change based on menstrual cycle status?

Survey study, 2014

# Does how stressed women feel after eating behavior change based on menstrual cycle status?

Yes, in women with anorexia nervosa. Those with regular menstrual cycles felt less stressed after skipping meals, while those with irregular cycles felt more stressed. This suggests hormonal status affects how eating behaviors connect to stress.

 Early or limited evidence

109 women aged 17-45 with anorexia nervosa

## What they did

109 women aged 17 to 45 with anorexia nervosa reported their eating behaviors and stress levels multiple times over 2 weeks. Researchers compared women who had regular menstrual cycles to those with irregular cycles or no periods.

## What they found

After skipping meals, stress levels changed differently based on menstrual status. Women with regular menstrual cycles reported decreased stress following meal skipping, while women with irregular or no menstrual cycles reported increased stress. These different patterns may explain why eating disorder behaviors persist differently depending on hormonal status.

## What it means for you

Ovarian hormones appear to influence how the brain responds to food restriction, which could affect how eating disorder behaviors are maintained. This study was done only in women with anorexia nervosa, so findings may not apply to women without eating disorders or to other eating disorder types.

109

women with anorexia nervosa

17-45

age range

2 weeks

study duration

## About the study

Original title Stress and eating disorder behavior in anorexia nervosa as a function of menstrual cycle status Authors Jappe LM, Cao L, Crosby RD et al. Journal The International journal of eating disorders Year 2014 Study design Survey study What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/eat.22211](https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22211)

## Topics

[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)

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