Craving under pressure: the interplay between hedonic hunger, mental health, and ultra-processed food consumption in shift-workers

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Akin E., BAYRAM H. M., ÖZTÜRKCAN S. A.

Frontiers in Public Health, cilt.14, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 14
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1757016
  • Dergi Adı: Frontiers in Public Health
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, MEDLINE, Psycinfo, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: food choice, hedonic hunger, mental health, shift work, stress, ultra-processed foods
  • İstanbul Gelişim Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Shift-work is linked to irregular eating patterns and greater ultra-processed food (UPF) intake, potentially driven by hedonic hunger and psychological distress. This study aimed to examine the relationship between hedonic hunger, UPF consumption, and mental health among shift-working healthcare professionals. Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical observational study, 326 healthcare shift-workers (66.9% female) completed questionnaires including sociodemographic details, the Power of Food Scale (PFS-Tr), the Single-Item Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the short screening questionnaire for highly processed food consumption (sQ-HPF). Results: 63.2% were categorized as high-level UPF consumers. PFS-Tr scores correlated positively with UPF intake, FCQ, depression, stress, and anxiety. Hedonic hunger was significantly associated with UPF consumption directly (β = 0.112) and indirectly through stress (β = 0.209). Conclusion: Hedonic hunger was associated with UPF intake in shift-workers through psychological distress and food motivation.