Dietary Intake, Eating Behavior, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Infertile Women with PCOS and Obesity Compared with Non-PCOS Obese Controls.

Zheng Wang,Tessa M Van Elten,Henk Groen,Annemieke Hoek,Astrid E P Cantineau,Tessa J Roseboom,Ben W J Mol,Anne M Van Oers,Matty D A Karsten

doi:10.3390/nu13103526

Abstract

To personalize lifestyle advice for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and obesity, detailed information regarding dietary intake, eating behavior, physical activity levels, and quality of life (QoL) may be useful. We aimed to investigate in a post-hoc cross-sectional analysis within a large multicenter randomized controlled trial in women with infertility whether there are significant differences in dietary intake (vegetables, fruits, sugary drinks, alcoholic beverages, savory snacks, and sweet snacks); eating behavior (emotional eating, external eating, and restricted eating); physical activity; and QoL between women with PCOS and obesity and non-PCOS obese controls. Participants were asked to complete the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), the Short QUestionnaire to ASsess Health-enhancing physical activity (SQUASH), and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) at study entry (PCOS: n = 170; non-PCOS: n = 321, mean BMI: 36). Linear and binary (multinomial) logistic regressions were used, and the analyses were adjusted for age, waist–hip circumference ratio, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). No statistically significant differences in dietary intake or physical activity were observed between the two groups. The overall score of emotional eating was 34.6 ± 11.2 in the PCOS group and 34.1 ± 11.3 in the non-PCOS group (p = 0.11). QoL scores (physical and mental) did not differ between PCOS and non-PCOS women. These findings suggest that infertile women with PCOS and obesity and infertile non-PCOS obese controls do not have different dietary habits and have similar mental and physical QoL.

Highlights

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological features, affecting 5–25% women of reproductive age worldwide [1]
In view of the contradictory results of the abovementioned studies and before introducing standard lifestyle interventions in women with PCOS and obesity, we aim to investigate in a post-hoc analysis within this randomized controlled trial (RCT) whether there are significant differences in the dietary intake; eating behavior; moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; and quality of life (QoL) between women with PCOS and obesity and non-PCOS obese controls
Age, waist–hip circumference ratio, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were included in the adjusted regression models to investigate the differences in diet, eating behavior, physical activity, and QoL

Summary

Introduction

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological features, affecting 5–25% women of reproductive age worldwide [1]. It is hypothesized that there is a bidirectional interaction between obesity and PCOS [3]. The pathophysiological mechanisms behind this bidirectional interaction in women with PCOS might be driven by a decreased postprandial thermogenesis and an impaired regulation of gut hormones that control appetite, leading to weight gain [4,5]. Women with PCOS have an increased risk of insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia [7]. The presence of insulin resistance in women with PCOS increases the risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome, and even breast and endometrial cancers [9]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion