--- title: Do lifestyle factors like diet and weight affect how bad PMS is? description: Yes, in this study of female medical students, higher dietary fat intake and higher BMI were linked to more severe PMS, though this was an observational study url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/exploring-the-factors-influencing-premenstrual-syndrome-and-its-severity-the-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do lifestyle factors like diet and weight affect how bad PMS is? Survey study, 2024 # Do lifestyle factors like diet and weight affect how bad PMS is? Yes, in this study of female medical students, higher dietary fat intake and higher BMI were linked to more severe PMS, though this was an observational study that cannot prove cause and effect. Early or limited evidence 369 female undergraduate medical students at Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Iran. ## What they did Researchers surveyed 369 female undergraduate medical students at Maragheh University of Medical Sciences in Iran, between September 2021 and April 2022. Participants filled out online questionnaires about PMS symptoms, physical activity, diet, weight and height. Statistical analysis looked for factors linked to having PMS and to how severe it was. ## What they found About 70% of participants had PMS, and 69% screened positive for more severe PMS symptoms. Higher BMI and higher dietary fat intake were both significantly linked to PMS (p=0.031 and p=0.013). The odds ratio for PMS, BMI, and dietary fat were 10.314, 1.073, and 1.008 respectively. ## What it means for you Body weight and amount of fat in the diet may play a role in how severe PMS symptoms are, suggesting lifestyle changes could be worth exploring. However, this was a one-time survey of young medical students in one Iranian university, so it only shows a link, not proof that changing diet or weight would reduce PMS, and results may not apply to other groups of women. 70% of participants had PMS p=0.013 link between dietary fat and PMS severity p=0.031 link between BMI and PMS severity ## About the study Original title Exploring the Factors Influencing Premenstrual Syndrome and Its Severity: The Role of Lifestyle Determinants Authors Azadi H, Madani S, Payahoo L et al. Journal Journal of reproduction & infertility Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 369 What was tested None tested; this was an observational survey, not a treatment trial. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.18502/jri.v25i4.18124](https://doi.org/10.18502/jri.v25i4.18124) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Cohort study, 2026 Are diet and lifestyle linked to premenstrual symptoms in college students? Survey study, 2026 What factors most strongly drive PMS severity in female engineering students? Cohort study, 2026 Are stress, physical activity, and diet linked to premenstrual symptoms? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does a lifestyle education program reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2025 Is emotional eating linked to PMS in university women? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗