Physical, Psychological, and Behavioral Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome in Relation to Body Size and Shape

This study aimed to evaluate potential relationships between the frequency of physical, and psychological or behavioral symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in relation to body mass index (BMI) and body shapes in young women.

In total, 22 of the most common PMS symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire, as well as self-reported height, weight, and body shape (using five silhouette types). A total of 6697 women aged 18-30 was included in the final statistical analysis. Symptom frequencies were measured using a 5-point Likert scale, and the mean frequency of occurrence (MFO) was calculated for all symptoms. Statistical analyses included analysis of variance (ANOVA), univariate logistic regression, and stepwise regression.

PMS symptom prevalence ranged from 61.0% to 97.2%. Overall, MFO of all physical PMS symptoms (M ± SD = 3.12 ± 0.75) was lower than the MFO of all psychological and behavioral symptoms (M ± SD = 3.29 ± 0.96; p < 0.001). Women with overweight or obesity, also those with an apple-shaped body, reported the highest symptom frequencies (MFO = 3.20-3.35), while underweight and rectangular-shaped women had the lowest MFO (2.98-3.25; p < 0.001). Stepwise analysis showed BMI and body shape were more strongly associated with physical symptoms than psychological or behavioral ones.

These results highlight the importance of body size and shape in understanding individual differences in PMS symptoms, suggesting that higher BMI and an apple-shaped body are more associated with PMS symptoms. Therefore, special attention should be paid to women with this body type, and they should be examined more thoroughly in order to take preventive measures in a timely manner.