Frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods — sugary soft drinks and packaged snacks — is associated with more severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to researchers at the University of Health Sciences in Ankara, Turkey, who surveyed 607 women aged 18 to 30. The findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports, the website infohub.kz reports.
The researchers also found that two eating habits have an even stronger effect on the severity of pain, fatigue and mood swings: impulsively giving in to food cravings and feeling guilty about what one has eaten, the science portal ScienceAlert writes.
In an online questionnaire, participants rated their symptoms during the week before menstruation, how often they ate ultra-processed food, their adherence to the Mediterranean diet and their response to sudden hunger. The analysis showed that the link between industrial products and PMS severity persisted even after accounting for age, cycle regularity and overall diet, although the effect itself was relatively small: each additional point on an 11-point scale of unhealthy food added about one point to the symptom severity index. Strict adherence to the Mediterranean diet had no noticeable effect.
As the study's author, nutrition specialist Ziya Erokay Metin, explained, far milder PMS symptoms were seen in women who paused before eating a desired piece of chocolate and felt no guilt if they decided to eat it after all.
The researchers note that the survey captured data at a single point in time and relied on the respondents' recollections, and that most of the participants had a university education, so long-term observational studies will be needed to establish a precise cause-and-effect relationship.