日本人若年女性における月経周期と月経随伴症状がもたらす食行動および食嗜好の変化

Abstract

【背景】月経周期は心身の健康や生活に影響を及ぼし，月経随伴症状は食行動とも関連することが示唆されているものの，月経随伴症状に対する食事療法や食行動に関する報告は乏しい。本研究では，月経周期と月経随伴症状および食行動との関連を検討し，月経随伴症状に対する食事療法を検討する際の参考とすることを目的とした。【方法】日本の女子大学生110名（19～21歳）を解析対象とし，2023年度に質問紙調査を実施した。調査項目は，属性，月経随伴症状（PMDD/PMS評価尺度：PSST，月経随伴症状日本語版：MDQ），摂食障害（SCOFF），月経周期に伴う食行動・食嗜好の変化の調査（自由記述式）であり，自由記述はテキストマイニングで解析した。【結果】対象者のBMIの中央値は20.0㎏/m2であった。MDQ分類では，正常群は31.8%，月経前症状有群は32.7%，月経前後ともに症状有群は35.5%であった。PSSTでは，PMS軽症が66.4%，中等症が16.4%，重症（PMDD）が17.3%であり，83%が月経前に食欲増加および特定の飲食品を欲していた。「月経前に食べたくなるもの」のテキストマイニングの結果，出現回数の最多語は「甘いもの」（53回），次いで「チョコレート」（27回）であり，高糖質・高脂質食品が特徴的であったが，PSSTやMDQ，摂食障害との関連は認められなかった。【結論】月経前には食欲や食行動が変化する者が多く，特に高糖質・脂質食品やチョコレートへの嗜好が強まる可能性が示唆され，それらの成分が月経周期との関連がある可能性が考えられた。Background: The menstrual cycle influences both physical and mental health. Although menstrual-related symptoms have been suggested to be associated with eating behaviors, few past studies have examined dietary interventions or eating patterns related to the menstrual cycle. This study aimed to investigate the associations between the menstrual cycle, menstrual-related symptoms, and eating behaviors to provide insights for dietary management.Methods: We analyzed 110 female Japanese university students aged 19-21 years using a questionnaire survey conducted in 2023. Items included demographics, menstrual-related symptoms [Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ, Japanese version)], disordered eating (SCOFF), and changes in eating behavior and food preferences across the cycle (open-ended responses). Free-text responses were analyzed using text mining.Results: The median body mass index was 20.0 kg/m². The MDQ classified 31.8% as normal, 32.7% as premenstrual-symptom, and 35.5% as pre- and post-menstrual symptom groups. The PSST identified 66.4% with mild premenstrual syndrome (PMS), 16.4% with moderate PMS, and 17.3% with severe PMS (PMDD). Overall, 83% of the participants reported increased appetite or cravings before menstruation. Text mining revealed “sweets” (53 mentions) and “chocolate” (27 mentions) as the most frequent terms, indicating a preference for high-carbohydrate, high-fat foods. No significant associations were found between food preferences and the PSST, MDQ, or SCOFF.Conclusion: Many young Japanese women reported increased appetite and specific cravings before menstruation, particularly for chocolate and other high-carbohydrate, high-fat foods. These findings suggest potential links between the menstrual cycle and dietary components, with implications for cycle-based dietary management.