Tuesday, 31 July, HealthDay News)--the hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle of women can color their shopping habits, research shows.
"Our goal was to explore how women's menstrual cycle affect consumption desire, use of the product, and dollars spent in the food and upgrading domains," study first author Saad Gad, Professor of marketing, John Molson School of business, said in a press release from the University of Concordia in Montreal.
In the study, researchers selected 59 women and asked them to keep detailed diaries for their beauty routine, choice of service, your calorie intake and all that they bought for 35 days.
The researchers also analyzed daily reviews women responded to these topics that were interested in their choice of clothes and how long they spent grooming. Participants were also asked about the activities of both sunbathing and high-calorie foods. The study revealed a pattern of behaviour of women.
During the fertile women menstrual cycles (approximately eight hours in 15 of the 28-day cycle), the researchers found a significant increase in attention to appearance. During their fertile days women are also more likely to buy clothes, the study found.
The authors of the study suggested that the explanation for this pattern of behavior can be traced to women evolutionary roots.
"Ancestral times, women have had to focus on activities related to mating more time the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle when the probability of conception was high," Saad explained in a press release. "The same psychological and physiological mechanisms now lead women to greater consumption of products relevant to reproductive drives on the fertile phase of their cycle.
Although food intake among women fell during their fertile days, research has revealed their appetites peak in sterile or luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (day 16-28 28-day cycle). The researchers noted women cravings for high calorie foods spiked at this time, as well as their food purchases.
"Women consume more calories during the luteal phase, because they developed psychological and physiological mechanisms that favored not mating-related activities as food foraging during the fertile phase of their cycle," said Saad. Miscellaneous Darwin pulls, such as pairing against food take precedence depending on menstrual status of women. "
The authors of the study said their findings may shed light on these behaviors and help women to take more informed decisions that can affect their spending and eating habits.
"These behaviors without conscious awareness of consumption, women on how hormonal fluctuations affect their choices as consumers," said Saad. "Our study helps identify where women are most vulnerable to cyclical temptations for high-calorie foods and enhance the appearance of the product. These results may help women make the choice for himself, contrary to the old canard of biological determinism.
Consumption-related smartphone app can help women track their daily purchases, their vulnerability to certain high risk days in their cycle, the authors of the study suggested.
The study was recently published in the journal of consumer psychology.
Dallas — Mary Elizabeth 
Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Source: Concordia University, press release, July 2012
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