Survey study, 2026
Does eating more ultra-processed food increase the risk of PMS?
Yes. Women who ate more ultra-processed food had higher odds of PMS, ranging from 7% higher in normal-weight women to 41% higher in women with obesity.
What they did
This was a cross-sectional study of 480 women aged 20-49 in 3 Turkish cities. Researchers asked about PMS symptoms using a standardized scale, recorded what they ate using a food frequency questionnaire, and measured their weight and height to calculate BMI.
What they found
The average woman ate 858.0 grams of ultra-processed food per day. Women who ate the most ultra-processed food had 2.65 to 3.07 times higher odds of reporting PMS symptoms. The odds of PMS increased by 7% in normal-weight women, 19% in overweight women, and 41% in women with obesity.
What it means for you
Ultra-processed food appears linked to PMS, particularly in women with obesity. This is the first study examining this relationship. Since the study looked at women at one point in time rather than following them over months, we cannot prove that ultra-processed food causes PMS.
858.0 g
Average daily ultra-processed food intake
41.0%
Higher odds of PMS in women with obesity
3.07 times
Maximum increase in odds (highest vs lowest)
About the study
- Original title
- Effect of ultra-processed food consumption on premenstrual syndrome across different body mass index categories: a cross-sectional analysis
- Authors
- Seda Nur Köktürk, Esra Taş Yıldırım, Hülya Yardımcı
- Journal
- British Food Journal
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 480
- What was tested
- None, observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1108/bfj-10-2025-1393