Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a range of physical and emotional symptoms occurring during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. It is closely linked to hormonal fluctuations, menstrual physiology, and lifestyle factors, and can significantly affect quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome symptoms and its associations with perceived stress, physical activity, and dietary quality among college students at a university in Hainan, China. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics, perceived stress, physical activity and dietary quality. Self-reported PMS symptoms were assessed using the Chinese version of the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS). Perceived stress was measured using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Dietary quality was evaluated by calculating the Chinese Healthy Eating Index (CHEI) from a food frequency questionnaire. Physical activity levels were assessed with the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0, with chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests for group comparisons, and linear regression to assess factors associated with PMS symptoms score. The prevalence of self-reported PMS symptoms among college students was 32.9%. In the multivariate linear regression model, perceived stress score was positively associated with PMS symptoms score (B = 0.378, p < 0.001). Moderate-intensity physical activity (MPA) was negatively associated with PMS symptoms score (B = −0.087, p = 0.037). Among the components of the CHEI, higher red meat score (indicating lower intake) was significantly associated with lower PMS symptoms score (B = −0.436, p = 0.007). The findings highlight psychosocial and lifestyle factors as important correlates of PMS symptoms and provide preliminary evidence to inform nursing screening and health promotion initiatives in campus health services. Longitudinal studies are needed to further explore these associations.
Zeng et al. (2026) studied this question.