Evaluation of the relationship between hedonic hunger and diet quality, eating awareness, sleep quality and work stress in hospital personel working with or without shift

Objective: This research aims to evaluate the relationship between hedonic hunger, diet quality, eating awareness, sleep quality, and job stress among hospital staff with different work schedules. Method: The study was conducted on 220 hospital personnel, including 110 shift workers and 110 non-shift workers who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, at Dinar State Hospital between March and June 2023. Participants' socio-demographic characteristics, dietary habits, hedonic hunger status, eating awareness, sleep quality, and job stress were assessed, and anthropometric measurements were taken. In addition, dietary quality was calculated based on 3-day food consumption records. Result: 59,5% of participants were female, and 40,5% were male. The average age was 35,9±6,5 for shift workers and 38,0±9,0 year for non-shift workers. The average BMI values of shift workers are 25,9±3,3, and for non-shift workers 26,0±3,8 (p>0,05). Hedonic hunger was found to be significantly higher in shift workers (2,9±0,6) than in non-shift workers (2,7±0,8) (p=0,013). The average diet quality score of shift workers is 50,4±8,7 and non-shift workers is 51,6±9,2 (p>0,05). It was observed that eating awareness was significantly higher in individuals working non-shift (3,3±0,6) than in individuals working in shifts (2,9±0,5) (p<0,001). The average sleep quality score in individuals working in shifts was 4,2±2,4, while it was 4,4±2,8 in those working non-shift, and no difference in sleep quality was detected between the groups (p = 0,976). Job stress was found to be significantly higher in individuals working shifts (52,4±15,1) compared to those working non-shift (44,2±12,3) (p<0,001). While no significant relationship was found between individuals' hedonic hunger status and diet quality (p>0,05); a weak negative correlation was found between hedonic hunger and eating awareness (r=-0,115; p=0,045), and a moderate positive correlation with job stress. (r=0,333; p=0,001). Conclusion: Hedonic hunger status was significantly higher in shift workers. This may be due to lower eating awareness and higher job stress in shift workers. It is emphasized that education and interventions aimed at improving hedonic hunger, eating awareness, job stress, and sleep quality, especially for shift workers, should be prioritized. Keywords: shift work, hedonic hunger, diet quality, eating awareness, sleep quality