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
Version: 1 Date: 23 Jan 2025
Reviewer's report:
I would like to thank the Editor for the invitation to review the manuscript: 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
This part of the sentence should be removed: “…depending on the symptoms a woman has”
The aims will be better described as: The aims of this study were to identify factors associated
with menstruation symptoms and compare them between female soccer players and women
without exercise habits.
Methods
It is not common to describe the exclusion criteria in the abstract. Please focus on your sample
characteristics in abstract and let the exclusion criteria for the Methods section of the main text.
I suggest the authors mention the name of the questionnaire applied.
You may describe the methods/purpose of the distribution of your groups (the comparison) and
the statistical analysis used and significance level. The total number of participants should be
inserted in the results of the abstract section.
Results
Here, begin with the total number of participants in each group evaluated. I would exhibit
the results based on the negative outcomes, as example: For women without exercise
habits, menstrual days and high levels of stress showed significant association with severe
menstruation-related symptoms… On the other hand, for female soccer players older age, high
body mass index, late bedtime… etc.
Conclusion
I think it would be better to conclude by focusing on exercise habit:
Women presented different factors for menstruation-related symptoms depending on the
presence or not of exercise habits in their routine.
Keywords
I would suggest to insert physical exercise.
Introduction
Repetitive words: Approximately 70%–90% of menstruating women have menstruation-related
symptoms [3-5]. Approximately 80% of women are absent from school because of menstruation
[6].
Suggestion: Approximately 70%–90% of menstruating women have menstruation-related
symptoms [3-5] leading to absence from school.
I would cite the main symptoms related to menstruation as your manuscript approaches these
variables.
“in order to construct an specific strategies” please remove AN from the sentence. It is used
only for singular nouns.
I suggest reformulating the aim of the study described in the last paragraph of the introduction,
as suggested for abstract section.
Materials and Methods
Did the participants sign the informed consent form?
“The study participants were healthy young Japanese women who were recruited from two
groups” – this sentence would be better described as “The study participants were healthy
Japanese women who were distributed in two groups”
“This study conducted under the Declaration” -  “This study was conducted…”
Where are the participants from? Did the web survey questionnaires send to students, hospital,
or other specific place?
Just curiosity: why did the authors establish 29 years of maximum age as inclusion criteria?
Just oral contraceptive? Wouldn’t be more appropriate to not include hormonal contraceptives?
I suggest the authors to maintain only one paragraph for eligibility criteria and specify the
exercise habit or soccer player in the final of the paragraph. It is too repetitive 2 paragraphs with
the same eligibility criteria.
The 3rd paragraph should be removed to Results section, as well as figure 1.
When you the “by the following” you should cite the questionnaires and not end the sentence.
“Lifestyle habits included stress, sleep, eating habits, and physical activity (PA) assessed by the
following.”
The PSQI (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) comprise the symptoms from the last month and not
the last week.
Results
Table 1 - height is written incorrectly – hight
Page 22 – you use the acronym PA and not explain the meaning in the first use. Please verify.
I suggest the authors to resume the data before and during menstruation in one table, using
landscape layout and do it with all the results, as there are so many tables in the manuscript, and
I suggest to reduce to half number of tables.
Discussion
I would suggest to avoid using subsections for discussion section, trying to link the topics.
I think these suggestions would help the authors to exhibit their data clearly to BMC readers.