Survey study, 2020
Are premenstrual symptoms linked to eating disorder symptoms?
Yes, women who reported more premenstrual symptoms also tended to report more eating disorder symptoms, such as body dissatisfaction, binge eating, purging, and restriction.
What they did
455 young adult women completed an online survey measuring premenstrual symptoms (Daily Record of Severity of Problems) and eating disorder symptoms (Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory). Researchers looked at correlations between the two, then ran a more detailed statistical model for each eating disorder symptom.
What they found
Most eating disorder symptoms were significantly correlated with premenstrual symptoms, with correlation strengths ranging from r = .13 to .37.
What it means for you
The authors suggest premenstrual symptoms could be a marker of hormone sensitivity in women at risk for eating disorders, but this is based on an online survey at one point in time, so it cannot show which problem comes first or prove one causes the other.
455
Women surveyed
r = .13-.37
Correlation range
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual symptoms as a marker of ovarian hormone sensitivity in eating disorders
- Authors
- Hardin SL, Thornton LM, Munn-Chernoff MA et al.
- Journal
- The International journal of eating disorders
- Year
- 2020
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 455
- What was tested
- None tested; this looked at links between premenstrual symptoms and eating disorder symptoms
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1002/eat.23213
Topics
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