Factors associated with premenstrual syndrome in Female High School Students

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is the emergence of periodic one or more symptoms of symptoms before menstruation and in the first few days of menstruation. Lifestyle is one of the series of factors that affect the health of people. Activity, smoking, and food intake are factors associated with lifestyle, and evidence suggests that women and girls with PMS do not have an adequate life span. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with PMS in female high school students.

This cross-sectional correlation study was conducted in 200 female high school students in Sabzevar city using multistage random sampling in the academic year of 2016-2017. Data gathering tools include the temporary diagnostic questionnaire of the PMS, and Beck Depression questionnaire; the nonresonant tape was accurate to 0.1 cm and the digital scale was accurate to 0.1 kg. We analyzed the data using SPSS software and Mann-Whitney U-test.

The results of this study showed that there is a significant relationship between PMS and fried foods (P = 0.017), sweet drink (P = 0.018), fast food (P = 0.048), fruit (P = 0.012), no habitual exercise (P = 0.006), family history of PMS (P = 0.002), hip circumference (P = 0.04), and body mass index (P = 0.04).

There is a relationship between PMS and some anthropometric indices and nutritional/metabolic factors. Therefore, having a proper lifestyle is effective in reducing PMS.