Survey study, 2005
Is obesity a risk factor for PMS?
Yes. Obese women had nearly 3 times the risk of PMS compared to non-obese women, though the study cannot prove obesity causes PMS.
What they did
Random telephone survey of 874 women aged 18-44 in Virginia asked about PMS symptoms and measured their weight using Body Mass Index.
What they found
10.3 percent had severe or extreme PMS. Obese women (BMI of 30 or higher) had an odds ratio of 2.8 (95 percent confidence interval 1.1 to 7.2). PMS was more common in white women, younger women, and smokers.
What it means for you
Obesity appears linked to higher PMS risk and could be changed to help manage symptoms. The main limitation is that everything was measured only once, so cause and effect cannot be determined. Results are from Virginia in 1994 and may not apply everywhere.
874
women surveyed
10.3%
had severe or extreme PMS
2.8
increased risk for obese women
About the study
- Original title
- Obesity as a risk factor for premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Masho SW, Adera T, South-Paul J
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2005
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 874
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/01443610400023049
Topics
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