---
title: Is obesity a risk factor for PMS? | Niyora
description: Yes. Obese women had nearly 3 times the risk of PMS compared to non-obese women, though the study cannot prove obesity causes PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/obesity-as-a-risk-factor-for-premenstrual-syndrome-2005/
---

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- Is obesity a risk factor for PMS?

Survey study, 2005

# Is obesity a risk factor for PMS?

Yes. Obese women had nearly 3 times the risk of PMS compared to non-obese women, though the study cannot prove obesity causes PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

874 women aged 18-44 in Virginia

## What they did

Random telephone survey of 874 women aged 18-44 in Virginia asked about PMS symptoms and measured their weight using Body Mass Index.

## What they found

10.3 percent had severe or extreme PMS. Obese women (BMI of 30 or higher) had an odds ratio of 2.8 (95 percent confidence interval 1.1 to 7.2). PMS was more common in white women, younger women, and smokers.

## What it means for you

Obesity appears linked to higher PMS risk and could be changed to help manage symptoms. The main limitation is that everything was measured only once, so cause and effect cannot be determined. Results are from Virginia in 1994 and may not apply everywhere.

874

women surveyed

10.3%

had severe or extreme PMS

2.8

increased risk for obese women

## About the study

Original title Obesity as a risk factor for premenstrual syndrome Authors Masho SW, Adera T, South-Paul J Journal Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology Year 2005 Study design Survey study Participants 874 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/01443610400023049](https://doi.org/10.1080/01443610400023049)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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