---
title: Are premenstrual symptoms linked to eating disorder symptoms?
description: Yes, women who reported more premenstrual symptoms also tended to report more eating disorder symptoms, such as body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, a
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-as-a-marker-of-ovarian-hormone-sensitivity-in-eating-2020/
---

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- Are premenstrual symptoms linked to eating disorder symptoms?

Survey study, 2020

# Are premenstrual symptoms linked to eating disorder symptoms?

Yes, women who reported more premenstrual symptoms also tended to report more eating disorder symptoms, such as body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, and restriction.

 Early or limited evidence

455 young adult women who completed an online survey

## What they did

455 young adult women completed an online survey measuring premenstrual symptoms (Daily Record of Severity of Problems) and eating disorder symptoms (Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory). Researchers looked at correlations between the two, then ran a more detailed statistical model for each eating disorder symptom.

## What they found

Most eating disorder symptoms were significantly correlated with premenstrual symptoms, with correlation strengths ranging from r = .13 to .37.

## What it means for you

The authors suggest premenstrual symptoms could be a marker of hormone sensitivity in women at risk for eating disorders, but this is based on an online survey at one point in time, so it cannot show which problem comes first or prove one causes the other.

455

Women surveyed

r = .13-.37

Correlation range

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual symptoms as a marker of ovarian hormone sensitivity in eating disorders Authors Hardin SL, Thornton LM, Munn-Chernoff MA et al. Journal The International journal of eating disorders Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 455 What was tested None tested; this looked at links between premenstrual symptoms and eating disorder symptoms Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1002/eat.23213](https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.23213)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Reproductive hormone sensitivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-hormone-sensitivity/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)

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

## Related studies

Systematic review, 2022

Do mental health disorders get worse during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2016

Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating?

Study, 2025

Can group therapy help adolescent girls with PMS manage emotions and reduce binge eating?

Study, 2023

How are eating disorders and premenstrual symptoms connected?

Survey study, 2018

Does what or how adolescents eat matter for PMS?

Case-control study, 2010

Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women?

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