Sugar craving and stress levels during different phases of menstrual cycle among university students
Introduction: The menstrual cycle in women is often associated with appetite control, mood, and behavioural changes due to hormonal imbalance. However, levels of sugar craving and stress during pre- and post-menstrual periods have not been thoroughly studied. This cross-sectional study aimed to c...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
Nutrition Society of Malaysia (NSM)
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/105753/1/105753_Sugar%20craving.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/105753/7/105753_Sugar%20craving_SCOPUS.pdf http://irep.iium.edu.my/105753/ https://nutriweb.org.my/mjn/online-first.php |
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| Summary: | Introduction: The menstrual cycle in women is often associated with appetite
control, mood, and behavioural changes due to hormonal imbalance. However, levels
of sugar craving and stress during pre- and post-menstrual periods have not been
thoroughly studied. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare levels of stress
and sugar cravings during different phases of menstrual cycle among university
students. Methods: Participants aged 19–25 years were assessed for sugar craving
and stress during pre- and post-menstrual periods. They were requested to fill out
the Sugar Craving Assessment Tool (SCAT) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
questionnaires on the first day of menses (the pre-menses phase) by recalling how
they felt throughout the past seven days. The participants completed the same set
of questionnaires again two days after their menses ended (post-menses phase) by
recalling how they felt within the previous two days. Results: Ninety-three students
participated in the study. Pre-menstrual SCAT score (40.0±19.6) was higher than
post-menstrual SCAT score (32.1±19.4), t(91)=4.82, p<0.001. Mean PSS-10 score
was also higher before menstruation (22.8±6.2) than after menstruation (17.5±6.1),
t(91)=6.26, p<0.001. There was no significant difference in mean sugar craving scores
of different stress categories, either during pre-menses [F(2,90)=1.39, p=0.256] or
post-menses [F(2,90)=0.89, p=0.415]. Conclusion: The findings indicate that levels
of sugar craving and stress were higher during pre-menstrual phase compared
to post-menstrual phase in young adults. However, whether sugar cravings are
linked to stress during the menstrual cycle is inconclusive and requires further
investigation. |
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