The relationship between nurses' hedonic hunger and self-esteem

BackgroundHedonic hunger, defined as eating driven by pleasure rather than physiological need, is associated with unhealthy eating. Nurses' shift work, workload, and emotional stress may increase maladaptive eating, but its association with self-esteem remains unclear.ObjectıveTo examine the relationship between hedonic hunger and self-esteem among nurses and identify associated sociodemographic, occupational, and psychosocial factors.MethodsThis descriptive correlational study included 206 working nurses in a training and research hospital in Türkiye. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling. Data were collected between January 1 and August 31, 2025 using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, Power of Food Scale, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24.0. Normality was assessed with the Shapiro-Wilk test; Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests were used. Significance was accepted as p < 0.05.ResultsNurses had moderate hedonic hunger (3.42 ± 0.86) and self-esteem (14.00 ± 2.64). Hedonic hunger was significantly higher among male nurses, those with 6-10 years of experience, and those reporting irritability or fatigue, whereas nurses with chronic disease had lower levels of both variables (p < 0.05). A weak positive correlation was found between hedonic hunger and self-esteem (r = 0.187, p = 0.007).ConclusıonsHedonic hunger and self-esteem among nurses appear to be associated with emotional, lifestyle-related, and occupational factors. Protected meal breaks, healthier food access, and psychosocial support may help promote healthy eating behaviors and well-being among nurses.