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. 2023 Dec 25;16(1):69.
doi: 10.3390/nu16010069.

An Assessment of Women's Knowledge of the Menstrual Cycle and the Influence of Diet and Adherence to Dietary Patterns on the Alleviation or Exacerbation of Menstrual Distress

Anna Ciołek  1 , Malgorzata Kostecka  1 , Julianna Kostecka  2 , Paulina Kawecka  1 , Monika Popik-Samborska  3
Affiliations

An Assessment of Women's Knowledge of the Menstrual Cycle and the Influence of Diet and Adherence to Dietary Patterns on the Alleviation or Exacerbation of Menstrual Distress

Anna Ciołek et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

A growing number of women of reproductive age experience menstrual disorders. The menstrual cycle is considerably influenced by dietary habits, physical activity, and the use of stimulants. The main aim of this study was to assess women's knowledge about the menstrual cycle and the influence of diet and lifestyle factors on menstrual symptoms, and to identify dietary models that may alleviate or exacerbate menstrual distress. A total of 505 young women participated in the study. Nearly 90% of the respondents reported at least one menstrual disorder, mostly dysmenorrhea (70.7%), whereas secondary amenorrhea was least frequently reported (13.8%) (p = 0.002). In the study population, dysmenorrhea/menstrual distress was linked with higher consumption frequency of certain food groups. Women with severe dysmenorrhea consumed refined cereal products, processed meat, sugar, and water significantly more frequently than women with moderate menstrual pain. In turn, sweetened dairy products, animal fats, and fruit were consumed more frequently by women with low intensity of menstrual pain (mild pain). Significant differences in knowledge about the menstrual cycle and physiological changes in the body were observed between the compared dietary models.

Keywords: anti-inflammatory diet; dysmenorrhea; menstrual cycle; menstrual disorders; menstrual health; nutrition knowledge; proinflammatory diet; visual analog scale (VAS).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The relationship between education and the participants’ knowledge about the influence of dietary components on the menstrual cycle (saturated fatty acids).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The relationship between education and the participants’ knowledge about the influence of dietary components on the menstrual cycle (vitamin D).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The relationship between education and the participants’ knowledge about the influence of dietary components on the menstrual cycle (simple sugars).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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