Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Purpose The aims of this study were to identify factors associated with menstruation-related symptoms and compare them between female soccer players and women without exercise habits. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2022. Participants were healthy Ja...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Risa Mitsuhashi, Ryoko Mizushima, Hiroaki Natsui, Shuichi Machida, Yoshio Nakata
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:BMC Women's Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03655-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850207915877597184
author Risa Mitsuhashi
Ryoko Mizushima
Hiroaki Natsui
Shuichi Machida
Yoshio Nakata
author_facet Risa Mitsuhashi
Ryoko Mizushima
Hiroaki Natsui
Shuichi Machida
Yoshio Nakata
author_sort Risa Mitsuhashi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Purpose The aims of this study were to identify factors associated with menstruation-related symptoms and compare them between female soccer players and women without exercise habits. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2022. Participants were healthy Japanese women aged 18–29 years, divided into two groups for comparison by exercise habits: women without exercise habits and female college soccer players. Participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire pertaining to their physical and menstrual characteristics, menstruation-related symptoms, and lifestyle habits. For menstruation-related symptoms, the Andersch and Milsom Scale was used to assess the severity of each of the 16 symptoms before and during menstruation. Lifestyle habits included stress, sleep, diet, and physical activity, which were assessed using Perceived Stress Scale, Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Data were analyzed using the t-test and multiple logistic regression analysis. All analyses were performed with a statistical significance of 5%. Results A total of 428 women (192 without exercise habits; 236 soccer players) participated in the study, and 244 women (99 without exercise habits; 125 soccer players) were analyzed. For women without exercise habits, long menstrual days (OR = 5.627; 95% CI, 1.046–30.259) and high levels of stress (1.082; 1.011–1.157) were factors before menstruation, and stress (1.131; 1.045–1.225) was a factor during menstruation were significantly associated with severe menstruation-related symptoms. Contrastingly, for soccer players, high body mass index (BMI) (1.460; 1.080–1.973), late bedtime (0.288; 0.110–0.753) before menstruation, older age (1.662; 1.073–2.575), high BMI (1.468; 1.089–1.980), family history of menstruation-related symptoms (3.090; 1.179–8.098), late bedtime (0.358; 0.133–0.958), caffeine consumption ( 0.359; 0.139–0.930), and less frequent breakfast intake (0.807; 0.653–0.997) were significant factors. Additionally, the factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms differed according to the symptom type. The most frequently associated factor in women without exercise habits was stress (13 symptoms). In female soccer players, the most frequently associated factor was BMI (8 symptoms). Conclusion Women presented different factors for menstruation-related symptoms depending on the presence or absence of exercise habits in their routine.
format Article
id doaj-art-bb5cd63d0c4e4575a800bd72d2a22e64
institution OA Journals
issn 1472-6874
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Women's Health
spelling doaj-art-bb5cd63d0c4e4575a800bd72d2a22e642025-08-20T02:10:21ZengBMCBMC Women's Health1472-68742025-03-0125111110.1186/s12905-025-03655-wComparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional studyRisa Mitsuhashi0Ryoko Mizushima1Hiroaki Natsui2Shuichi Machida3Yoshio Nakata4Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Laboratory of Advanced Research D606Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Laboratory of Advanced Research D606Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Japan Women’s College of Physical EducationJapanese Center for Research on Women in Sport, Juntendo UniversityInstitute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Laboratory of Advanced Research D606Abstract Purpose The aims of this study were to identify factors associated with menstruation-related symptoms and compare them between female soccer players and women without exercise habits. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and August 2022. Participants were healthy Japanese women aged 18–29 years, divided into two groups for comparison by exercise habits: women without exercise habits and female college soccer players. Participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire pertaining to their physical and menstrual characteristics, menstruation-related symptoms, and lifestyle habits. For menstruation-related symptoms, the Andersch and Milsom Scale was used to assess the severity of each of the 16 symptoms before and during menstruation. Lifestyle habits included stress, sleep, diet, and physical activity, which were assessed using Perceived Stress Scale, Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Food Frequency Questionnaire, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Data were analyzed using the t-test and multiple logistic regression analysis. All analyses were performed with a statistical significance of 5%. Results A total of 428 women (192 without exercise habits; 236 soccer players) participated in the study, and 244 women (99 without exercise habits; 125 soccer players) were analyzed. For women without exercise habits, long menstrual days (OR = 5.627; 95% CI, 1.046–30.259) and high levels of stress (1.082; 1.011–1.157) were factors before menstruation, and stress (1.131; 1.045–1.225) was a factor during menstruation were significantly associated with severe menstruation-related symptoms. Contrastingly, for soccer players, high body mass index (BMI) (1.460; 1.080–1.973), late bedtime (0.288; 0.110–0.753) before menstruation, older age (1.662; 1.073–2.575), high BMI (1.468; 1.089–1.980), family history of menstruation-related symptoms (3.090; 1.179–8.098), late bedtime (0.358; 0.133–0.958), caffeine consumption ( 0.359; 0.139–0.930), and less frequent breakfast intake (0.807; 0.653–0.997) were significant factors. Additionally, the factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms differed according to the symptom type. The most frequently associated factor in women without exercise habits was stress (13 symptoms). In female soccer players, the most frequently associated factor was BMI (8 symptoms). Conclusion Women presented different factors for menstruation-related symptoms depending on the presence or absence of exercise habits in their routine.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03655-wFemale athletesJapanese womenLifestyle habitsMenstruation-related symptomsSoccer playersPhysical exercise
spellingShingle Risa Mitsuhashi
Ryoko Mizushima
Hiroaki Natsui
Shuichi Machida
Yoshio Nakata
Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
BMC Women's Health
Female athletes
Japanese women
Lifestyle habits
Menstruation-related symptoms
Soccer players
Physical exercise
title Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
title_full Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
title_short Comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation-related symptoms in Japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players: a cross-sectional study
title_sort comparison of factors associated with the occurrence of menstruation related symptoms in japanese women without exercise habits and female soccer players a cross sectional study
topic Female athletes
Japanese women
Lifestyle habits
Menstruation-related symptoms
Soccer players
Physical exercise
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-03655-w
work_keys_str_mv AT risamitsuhashi comparisonoffactorsassociatedwiththeoccurrenceofmenstruationrelatedsymptomsinjapanesewomenwithoutexercisehabitsandfemalesoccerplayersacrosssectionalstudy
AT ryokomizushima comparisonoffactorsassociatedwiththeoccurrenceofmenstruationrelatedsymptomsinjapanesewomenwithoutexercisehabitsandfemalesoccerplayersacrosssectionalstudy
AT hiroakinatsui comparisonoffactorsassociatedwiththeoccurrenceofmenstruationrelatedsymptomsinjapanesewomenwithoutexercisehabitsandfemalesoccerplayersacrosssectionalstudy
AT shuichimachida comparisonoffactorsassociatedwiththeoccurrenceofmenstruationrelatedsymptomsinjapanesewomenwithoutexercisehabitsandfemalesoccerplayersacrosssectionalstudy
AT yoshionakata comparisonoffactorsassociatedwiththeoccurrenceofmenstruationrelatedsymptomsinjapanesewomenwithoutexercisehabitsandfemalesoccerplayersacrosssectionalstudy