Fighting cramps with plants: the association between dietary phytochemical index and primary dysmenorrhoea

Abstract

The dietary phytochemical index (DPI), an alternative and practical marker for assessing dietary phytochemical intake, has not previously been investigated in relation to primary dysmenorrhoea (PD). This study aimed to investigate the association between the DPI and PD in women university students in Niğde, Türkiye. The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of women university students aged 19–35 years. The study data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. The questionnaire included general information about the students, dietary intake, the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Visual Analog Scale. The DPI was calculated from the participants’ food consumption records (DPI = energy from foods rich in phytochemicals (kcal/day)/total energy intake (kcal/day) × 100). Of the 362 women university students who participated in the study, the prevalence of PD was 83.9%. Those affected had higher waist circumference and dietary energy intake, but lower potassium and magnesium intake and DPI ( p < 0.05). Students with severe pain were more likely to have a lower DPI ( p < 0.05). The results of this study showed that the prevalence of PD a was quite high among students and that the DPI was associated with PD. These findings suggest a potential role of foods rich in dietary phytochemicals in alleviating PD, although causal relationships cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design of the study.