title: Premenstrual syndrome and beyond: lifestyle, nutrition, and personal facts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to study prevalence of menstrual symptoms and their presenting patterns, and to assess nutrition and behaviours correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 108 women, who were prospectively assessed for menstrual symptoms; a 212 items questionnaire about lifestyle and nutrition was administered. Diagnosis and intensity of symptoms were separately compared for dietary and other factors. The χ2 test or Fisher exact test as required and a multivariate analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen percent of the sample reported no symptoms; core PMD was diagnosed in 14%, and related to symptoms of moderate intensity, to late menarche, irregular, long cycles, dysmenorrhoea, and to lower intake of complex carbohydrates, fibers, calcium; non-cyclical pattern in 27%, and related to symptoms of severe intensity, to young age, unemployed, to poor health, stress, traumatic events, abnormal BMI, to long, heavy menses, to lower intake of fibers, magnesium, vitamin B6, and to higher intake of fat, proteins, sodium, caffeine; variant PMD-premenstrual exacerbation in 42%, and related to symptoms of severe - moderate intensity, to young age, students, unemployed, sedentary work, abnormal BMI, stress, to cycle irregularities, heavy menses, to higher intake of simple sugars and sodium, and to lower intake of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Regardless of diagnosis, severe intensity of symptoms was associated with young age /students (P<0.001), lower education, unemployed, smoke, sedentary work, poor health, stress, heavy menses (P<0.01), dysmenorrhea, more unfavorable and less favorable nutrients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lifestyle, nutrition, and general health considerations seem to be important issues in the management of menstrual symptoms, prospective symptoms chart being mandatory for diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health University School of Medicine V. Buzzi Hospital, Milan, Italy - vanda.bianco@unimi.it.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cestari
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Casati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cipriani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Radici
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Valente
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult