Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in energy and macronutrient intakes during the premenstrual(days -10-1) and postmenstrual(days 5-14) phases. Thirty-two college female students recorded their food consumption and dietary patterns over 5 weeks from September 8 to October 12, 1997. Mean daily energy and macronutrient intakes and the percentage of energy intake from protein and carbohydrate were relatively consistent over the two menstrual cycle phases, but the energy intake from fat increased 1%(P<0.05)during the postmenstrual phase. Two different dietary patterns were identified by the shifts in energy intake between postmenstrual and premenstrual phases. Seventy five percent of subjects revealed a consistent pattern with the results of previous studies investigating food intake over the menstrual cycle, in which the premenstrual phase is associated with an increment in energy, carbohydrate, and protein intake. In contrast, energy, protein, and fat intakes increased during the postmenstrual phase in 25% of the subjects. We conclude that cyclical fluctuations in energy and macronutrient intakes occur in both postmenstrual and premenstrual dietary pattern groups across the two menstrual phased with the opposite directions.

Keywords

• energy intake;
• macronutrient intake;
• menstrual cycle;
• dietary pattern