Survey study, 2026
Does physical activity reduce the effect of climate anxiety on PMS?
Yes. Climate anxiety increases PMS symptoms, but physical activity has a protective effect that reduces this relationship.
What they did
635 female health students answered questionnaires about PMS symptoms, worry about climate change, and how much physical activity they do.
What they found
87.7% had PMS. The median climate anxiety score was 13. Climate anxiety had a positive effect on PMS (β=0.606), meaning higher anxiety was linked to worse symptoms. Physical activity had a negative effect on PMS (β=-0.067), meaning more activity was linked to better symptoms.
What it means for you
Climate anxiety is linked to worse PMS, but exercise appears to help buffer against this effect. The study only included health students from one university, so may not apply to other groups of women. This is correlational data, so we cannot be certain that anxiety causes PMS.
87.7%
had PMS
0.606
effect of climate anxiety on PMS
-0.067
effect of physical activity on PMS
About the study
- Original title
- The Moderating Effect of Physical Activity in the Relationship Between Eco-Anxiety and Premenstrual Syndrome
- Authors
- Balmumcu A, Öztürk H, Öztürk N et al.
- Journal
- Journal of evaluation in clinical practice
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 635
- What was tested
- Physical activity evaluated as a moderating factor in the climate anxiety-PMS relationship.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/jep.70364
Topics
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