---
title: Does processed food or stress affect PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Higher stress was significantly associated with more severe PMS symptoms. Processed food consumption was not significantly associated with PMS. This was an ob
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/association-of-premenstrual-syndrome-with-processed-food-consumption-and-stress-2024/
---

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- Does processed food or stress affect PMS symptoms?

Survey study, 2024

# Does processed food or stress affect PMS symptoms?

Higher stress was significantly associated with more severe PMS symptoms. Processed food consumption was not significantly associated with PMS. This was an observational study so we cannot prove stress causes worse PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

150 females aged 18-35 years

## What they did

A cross-sectional study with 150 females aged 18-35 using convenience sampling. They assessed PMS using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool. They measured processed food intake using three different methods and stress using the Perceived Stress Scale.

## What they found

Higher stress levels were significantly associated with more severe PMS symptoms. Processed food consumption showed no significant differences in relation to PMS. Significant associations were found between demographics and PMS likelihood.

## What it means for you

If you are under more stress, you may experience worse PMS symptoms. Your consumption of processed foods may not affect PMS severity as much as stress does. The main limits are convenience sampling rather than random selection, cross-sectional design so no causation, and likely only one country.

150

females in study

## About the study

Original title ASSOCIATION OF PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME WITH PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION AND STRESS SCORES IN FEMALES AGED 18-35 YEARS Authors Heena Kapadia, Nisha Bellare Journal INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 150 What was tested None (observational study) Read the paper [doi.org/10.36106/ijsr/9208282](https://doi.org/10.36106/ijsr/9208282)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)

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