The influence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) on emotional symptoms and food intake

The beginning of the cycle is marked by the first day of menstruation, dividing it into two distinct stages: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a set of physical symptoms, emotional and behavioral disorders that starts the week before menstruation and marks the onset of menses, affecting women in the reproductive phase. Depending on the period of the menstrual cycle (MC), there may be no changes in food intake. There are few studies in the literature relating to dietary habits with PMS, pointing out interference and changes in diet. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PMS influences the emotional symptoms and food intake. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 54 randomly selected women aged 21 to 55 years old. The project was approved by the Ethics and Research Center of Sao Camilo University. Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were used to evaluate food consumption, while the "Questionnaire on premenstrual symptoms" was utilized to assess the presence of PMS. Statistical analysis was performed and the paired t-test was of p<0.05 significance level. The emotional symptoms most frequently cited were impatience (65%), irritability (58%) and anxiety (51%). Regarding the physical symptoms, the following were predominant: headaches (56%), cramps (49%) and swollen painful breasts (44%). Some nutritional aspects were also observed: 49% of the women craved for sweet foods and 37% showed increased appetite. There was increased consumption of calories and lipids in the premenstrual period - but not significant. It was concluded that there is a predominance of physical and emotional symptoms, but no significant influence on the food habits of women.