---
title: Do PMS symptoms form distinct patterns related to lifestyle factors?
description: PMS occurs in four distinct patterns: Emotional, Psychological/Cognitive, Physical, and Consumption. Body weight and physical activity were associated with so
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptom-patterns-and-behavioral-risk-factors-in-young-women-a-cross-2017/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Do PMS symptoms form distinct patterns related to lifestyle factors?

Survey study, 2017

# Do PMS symptoms form distinct patterns related to lifestyle factors?

PMS occurs in four distinct patterns: Emotional, Psychological/Cognitive, Physical, and Consumption. Body weight and physical activity were associated with some of these patterns.

 Early or limited evidence

80 women with PMS aged 18-30 (from a larger study of 414 women)

## What they did

Researchers analyzed 80 women aged 18-30 who met diagnostic criteria for PMS from a larger study of 414 women. Participants completed a questionnaire about 26 premenstrual symptoms and reported their body weight, physical activity, and other factors. Researchers used statistical analysis to identify symptom patterns and their associations.

## What they found

Four distinct symptom patterns emerged. Body mass index was associated with the Consumption pattern (p=0.03 in the PMS subset, p=0.04 in the full study). Physical activity was inversely associated with the Physical pattern (p=0.04) but positively associated with the Consumption pattern (p=0.03).

## What it means for you

PMS may consist of distinct subtypes that respond differently to lifestyle factors. This could allow future treatments to target a woman's specific PMS type. The study was small and cross-sectional, and the meaning of the Consumption pattern is not fully clear from the abstract.

80

women with PMS studied

414

women total in study

4

distinct symptom patterns

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual Symptom Patterns and Behavioral Risk Factors in Young Women: A Cross-Sectional Study Authors Quintana-Zinn FA, Whitcomb BW, Ronnenberg AG et al. Journal Journal of women's health (2002) Year 2017 Study design Survey study Participants 80 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2016.5921](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2016.5921)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Randomised trial, 2026

Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS?

Lab study, 2026

Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2026

Is yoga or aerobic exercise better for reducing PMS symptoms in adolescent girls?

Survey study, 2025

Is emotional eating linked to PMS in university women?

Survey study, 2024

Is physical activity linked to PMS symptoms?

Survey study, 2022

Does regular exercise reduce period symptoms?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗