Research Article

Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences

Volume: 7 Number: 1 June 23, 2025
TR EN

Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences

Abstract

Objective: It was aimed to evaluate the participants' resting energy expenditure, nutrient intake, food preferences, mindful eating and body composition in the follicular and luteal phase. Method: The study included 58 participants between the ages of 18-45 years, who had a stable menstrual cycle for a minimum of six months and normal body mass index (BMI). Participants were invited for resting energy expenditure, body weight and body composition analysis in both the follicular and luteal phases. Nutrient intake and food preferences were evaluated, and Mindful Eating Scale was applied in both phases. Results: Oxygen consumption (VO2) and resting energy expenditure (REE) were significantly higher in the luteal phase (p < .05). There was no significant difference between measurements of body weight and body composition analysis and nutrient intakes in both phases (p > .05). Although the preference for high-protein/low-fat foods, fatty foods and sugary foods tended to increase in the luteal phase, there was no significant difference between the phases (p > .05). Finally, it was shown that the mean score of Disinhibition subscale of Mindful Eating Scale was noticeably higher during the luteal period (p = .004). Conclusion: Changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle phases are an important factor to consider that may affect REE and impulsive eating. However, mindful eating strategies, dietary interventions and education programs are important in preventing the development of obesity and eating behavior disorders in predisposed individuals.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) under the 2209-A Research Project Support Program

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was received for this study from the ethics committee of Gazi University (Date: November 08, 2022, Decision Number: 2022 – 1161).

Thanks

This work was supported by Tübitak 2209-A - Research Project Support Program for undergraduate Students (Application number 1919B012207210).

References

  1. Arabacı, R., & Çankaya, C. (2007). Beden eğitimi öğretmenlerinin fiziksel aktivite düzeylerinin araştırılması. Uludağ Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 20(1), 1-15.
  2. Arnoni-Bauer, Y., Bick, A., Raz, N., Imbar, T., Amos, S., Agmon, O.,…Weiss, R. (2017). Is it me or my hormones? Neuroendocrine activation profiles to visual food stimuli across the menstrual cycle. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 102(9), 3406-3414. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2016-3921
  3. Asarian, L., & Geary, N. (1999). Cyclic estradiol treatment phasically potentiates endogenous cholecystokinin’s satiating action in ovariectomized rats1, 2. Peptides, 20(4), 445-450. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0196-9781(99)00024-8
  4. Benton, M. J., Hutchins, A. M., & Dawes, J. J. (2020). Effect of menstrual cycle on resting metabolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 15(7), e0236025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236025
  5. Buffenstein, R., Poppitt, S. D., McDevitt, R. M., & Prentice, A. M. (1995). Food intake and the menstrual cycle: a retrospective analysis, with implications for appetite research. Physiology & Behavior, 58(6), 1067-1077. https://doi.org/10.1016/00319384(95)02003-9
  6. Chaudhari, S., & Huerta-Franco, M.-R. (2017). Relationship of food craving behavior with body mass index and body composition in reproductive age females. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 8(07), 699. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2017.87049
  7. Chung, S.-C., Bond, E. F., & Jarrett, M. E. (2010). Food intake changes across the menstrual cycle in Taiwanese women. Biological research for nursing, 12(1), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.1177/1099800410364554
  8. Coquoz, A., Regli, D., & Stute, P. (2022). Impact of progesterone on the gastrointestinal tract: a comprehensive literature review. Climacteric, 25(4), 337-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/13697137.2022.2033203

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Women's Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

June 23, 2025

Publication Date

June 23, 2025

Submission Date

January 8, 2025

Acceptance Date

April 22, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 7 Number: 1

APA
Atabilen, B., Uyduran, E. B., Kabak, M., Taşdemir, V. Ş., & Akdevelioğlu, Y. (2025). Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences. Advances in Women’s Studies, 7(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.51621/aws.1615581
AMA
1.Atabilen B, Uyduran EB, Kabak M, Taşdemir VŞ, Akdevelioğlu Y. Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences. Advances in Women’s Studies. 2025;7(1):1-11. doi:10.51621/aws.1615581
Chicago
Atabilen, Büşra, Edanur Berfu Uyduran, Mehlika Kabak, Vildan Şimal Taşdemir, and Yasemin Akdevelioğlu. 2025. “Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences”. Advances in Women’s Studies 7 (1): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.51621/aws.1615581.
EndNote
Atabilen B, Uyduran EB, Kabak M, Taşdemir VŞ, Akdevelioğlu Y (June 1, 2025) Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences. Advances in Women’s Studies 7 1 1–11.
IEEE
[1]B. Atabilen, E. B. Uyduran, M. Kabak, V. Ş. Taşdemir, and Y. Akdevelioğlu, “Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences”, Advances in Women’s Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 1–11, June 2025, doi: 10.51621/aws.1615581.
ISNAD
Atabilen, Büşra - Uyduran, Edanur Berfu - Kabak, Mehlika - Taşdemir, Vildan Şimal - Akdevelioğlu, Yasemin. “Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences”. Advances in Women’s Studies 7/1 (June 1, 2025): 1-11. https://doi.org/10.51621/aws.1615581.
JAMA
1.Atabilen B, Uyduran EB, Kabak M, Taşdemir VŞ, Akdevelioğlu Y. Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences. Advances in Women’s Studies. 2025;7:1–11.
MLA
Atabilen, Büşra, et al. “Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences”. Advances in Women’s Studies, vol. 7, no. 1, June 2025, pp. 1-11, doi:10.51621/aws.1615581.
Vancouver
1.Büşra Atabilen, Edanur Berfu Uyduran, Mehlika Kabak, Vildan Şimal Taşdemir, Yasemin Akdevelioğlu. Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Resting Energy Expenditure and Food Preferences. Advances in Women’s Studies. 2025 Jun. 1;7(1):1-11. doi:10.51621/aws.1615581

Cited By

Content of this journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License

26051