Survey study, 2018
Do exercise, nutrition, or stress affect how severe PMS symptoms are?
Stress matters. Women with higher perceived stress had more severe PMS symptoms. Exercise intensity and nutrition did not significantly predict PMS severity.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 75 healthy women aged 18-55 (mean 22.7 years). Researchers measured exercise using a questionnaire, nutrition using a questionnaire, stress perception, and PMS symptoms. They analyzed what predicted symptom severity.
What they found
No significant relationship between exercise intensity or nutritional intake and PMS severity. However, there was a significant relationship between perceived stress and PMS symptoms (r=0.324, n=75, p<0.005).
What it means for you
Stress may play a role in PMS severity. This study did not show that exercise or diet affect PMS. Researchers noted that more rigorous studies are needed to test whether specific changes to exercise or nutrition would help. This is correlation, not causation.
75
women studied
22.7
mean age in years
r=0.324
stress-PMS correlation
About the study
- Original title
- Relationship between Nutrition (REAP), Exercise (VSAQ), and Stress on Premenstrual Syndrome Severity (PSST): Correlation, Cross-Section, Purposive Sample of 75 Females Ages 18-55
- Authors
- Walton LM, Lindsey Machamer, Roan Asumbrado et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Physiotherapy & Physical Rehabilitation
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 75
- What was tested
- None - observational study measuring existing behaviors
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4172/2573-0312.1000158
Topics
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