Case-control study, 2018
Do women with PMDD crave different foods than healthy women?
Yes. Women with PMDD had stronger cravings for highly sweet foods before their period, while healthy women did not show this pattern. The difference was clear.
What they did
They compared 67 women with PMDD and 74 healthy controls. Both groups were assessed twice: early in their cycle and pre-menstrually. Participants were shown pictures of 15 highly sweet and 15 salty and fatty foods, and rated their desire to eat them and how they felt about them.
What they found
Women with PMDD had increased desire to eat highly sweet foods and stronger emotional responses to them during the pre-menstrual phase. Healthy women did not show this change. Cravings for salty and fatty foods were similar between groups. There were clear links between emotional responses to sweet foods and the desire to eat them. Pre-menstrual irritability and impulsivity were linked to wanting sweet foods.
What it means for you
If you have PMDD, stronger cravings for sweet foods before your period are common and linked to mood changes like irritability. This finding could help with planning support. The main limit is this is one study, so more research is needed to confirm these patterns in all women with PMDD.
67
women with PMDD
74
healthy controls
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual appetite and emotional responses to foods among women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Yen JY, Liu TL, Chen IJ et al.
- Journal
- Appetite
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- No intervention; observational comparison of PMDD and controls
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2018.01.029
Topics
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