In the study titled “Craving under pressure: the interplay between hedonic hunger, mental health, and ultra-processed food consumption in shift-workers,” the relationship between hedonic hunger, mental health, and ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption among shift-working healthcare professionals was investigated. The study was conducted with 326 healthcare workers in Istanbul, and the average shift duration was reported to be approximately 19.5 hours. It was found that 63.2% of the participants had a high level of ultra-processed food consumption.
The results showed that as hedonic hunger increased, ultra-processed food consumption also increased. The analyses further revealed that stress partially mediated this relationship, indicating that hedonic hunger may also increase UPF consumption indirectly through stress.
The findings also indicated that the risk increases as shift duration becomes longer. In particular, workers with shifts longer than 24 hours reported higher levels of stress, anxiety, and UPF consumption. In addition, female employees exhibited higher levels of hedonic hunger, anxiety, and UPF consumption compared to their counterparts.
Overall, the findings suggest that shift-work conditions—such as circadian rhythm disruption, stress, and limited access to healthy foods—may lead individuals toward hedonic eating behaviors and greater consumption of ultra-processed foods. These results indicate that healthy eating in shift workers cannot be explained solely by individual willpower; rather, psychological burden, working conditions, and the food environment collectively shape food choices. Therefore, stress management programs, improved access to healthy food during night shifts, and the development of shift-specific nutritional strategies are considered important interventions for shift-working populations.
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https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1757016
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