Dietary predictors of premenstrual syndrome: protective role of nuts, seeds, and legumes, and adverse role of sugar and sweets

OBJECTIVES: The number of studies examining the impact of diet on the occurrence and severity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is limited. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to identify dietary predictors of mild and moderate/severe PMS symptoms in 606 white women aged 18 to 35 years. METHODS: PMS symptom severity was assessed using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool. Data on food consumption were collected using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of dietary predictors of PMS severity. RESULTS: Among all included women, 21.8% were classified as the No-PMS group, 50.2% as the Mild-PMS group, and 28.0% as the Moderate/Severe-PMS group. A single-serving increment of nuts, seeds, and legumes decreased the risk of moderate/severe PMS (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.41-0.85), while a single-serving increment of sugar and sweets increased the risk (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.03-1.71). For mild PMS, a single-serving increment of nuts, seeds, and legumes (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.43-0.80), as well as fish and seafood consumption (OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.88), was associated with a reduced risk of being in the Mild-PMS group. Surprisingly, higher vegetable consumption was associated with mild PMS (OR: 1.17, 95%CI: 1.02-1.34) and a similar suggestion was found for Moderate/Severe-PMS (OR: 1.16, 95%CI: 0.97-1.39). CONCLUSIONS: Several dietary predictors of PMS were identified, highlighting diet as a modifiable lifestyle factor influencing both the risk and severity of PMS. These findings emphasize the need for further research.