Survey study, 2026
What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women?
Stress and sleep problems were independently associated with PMS. Diet and weight were not independently associated with PMS after accounting for other factors. This is a cross-sectional study, so these are associations, not proof of cause and effect.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 502 female university students aged 18-29 at King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia. They used questionnaires to measure PMS symptoms, diet, and psychological distress including stress, anxiety, and depression.
What they found
Women with PMS had significantly higher stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems (all p<0.001). In multivariable analysis, stress (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.10; p=0.005) and sleep problems (adjusted odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05; p<0.001) remained significantly associated with PMS. Anxiety, depression, body mass index, and healthy diet were not independently associated with PMS after adjustment.
What it means for you
Stress and poor sleep are the clearest factors linked to PMS in this sample, while diet and weight do not seem to independently matter. This suggests mental health and sleep should be targeted when managing PMS. However, this is cross-sectional, so we cannot know if stress causes PMS or PMS causes stress. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the direction of relationships.
502
female students studied
1.05
stress adjusted odds ratio
1.03
sleep adjusted odds ratio
About the study
- Original title
- Dietary, Lifestyle, and Psychological Factors Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome Among Female University Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Authors
- Huwaikem M
- Journal
- International journal of women's health
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 502
- What was tested
- None. This was an observational study.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s639146
Topics
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