Sağlıklı Kadınların Menstrüasyon Öncesi ve Sırasında Besin Tercihleri, Tat, Vücut ve Ruh Halindeki Değişiklikler

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated changes in taste, food intake, physical and psychological characteristics of healthy women during menstrual cycle. The aim of this study is to examine the changes in taste, weight, physical, mood and food preferences of healthy women before and during menstruation. This decriptive study included 400 healthy regularly menstruating women aged 18-45 years in Turkey. An online survey including questions examining the participants’ characteristics, and changes during the follicular phase and the luteal phase was used. 62.2% of the participants reported increases in body weight (1.2kg), and 56.7% of them stated an increase in appetite in the luteal phase. In addition, in the luteal phase, they reported an increase in the craving for sweet taste and chocolate, abdominal bloating and breast tenderness, and the feeling of irritability during the luteal phase. Craving for salty flavour, edema, increased appetite, and abdominal bloating had weak but positive correlations with weight gain during the luteal phase. The results of the present study indicated that the women had changes in taste and food preferences as well as physical and psychological changes during the luteal phase. Understanding these changes is of great importance for menstrual health.