--- title: How common is PMS among university students and what lifestyle factors relate to less PMS? description: PMS is very common: 83% had psychological symptoms, 79.4% had physical symptoms, 76.6% had behavioral symptoms. Diet and lifestyle choices like normal weight, url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/prevalence-of-premenstrual-syndrome-and-its-associations-with-dietary-and-other-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common is PMS among university students and what lifestyle factors relate to less PMS? Survey study, 2024 # How common is PMS among university students and what lifestyle factors relate to less PMS? PMS is very common: 83% had psychological symptoms, 79.4% had physical symptoms, 76.6% had behavioral symptoms. Diet and lifestyle choices like normal weight, no smoking, and eating fruits and vegetables were linked to less PMS. Early or limited evidence 217 female university students aged 18 and older in Dubai ## What they did 217 female university students aged 18 and older in Dubai completed an online questionnaire about premenstrual symptoms and their diet and lifestyle. ## What they found All students reported at least one PMS symptom. 83% had psychological symptoms, 79.4% had physical symptoms, 76.6% had behavioral symptoms. Most common psychological symptom: loss of control in 69.6%. Most common physical symptom: lethargy, fatigue, or decreased energy in 56.7%. 45.2% said symptoms interfered with daily routines. Normal body mass index, no smoking, milk intake, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, animal foods, fish oil supplements, and no fast food were linked to lower PMS. ## What it means for you PMS is very common among young women at university and affects their daily life. Diet and lifestyle are connected to how much PMS affects you. This study only included university students in Dubai, so results may not apply to women in other places or ages. It shows connection, not whether changing lifestyle will reduce PMS. 217 students 83% with psychological symptoms 79.4% with physical symptoms ## About the study Original title Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and its associations with dietary and other lifestyle factors among university female students in Dubai: A cross-sectional study Authors Al Sabbah H, Al Mutawa N, Assaf EA Journal Women's health (London, England) Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 217 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/17455057241260026](https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057241260026) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Omega-3 fatty acids](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-omega-3/) 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 Survey study, 2026 Does eating more ultra-processed food make PMS symptoms worse? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Do dietary changes or sun exposure reduce PMS symptoms in adolescent girls? Survey study, 2026 What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does a lifestyle education program reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2025 Is emotional eating linked to PMS in university women? Survey study, 2024 How much do Indonesian 9th graders know about PMS and what are their attitudes? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗