Evaluating compliance to a low glycaemic index (GI) diet in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Nicola Egan,Anna Read,Paddy Riley,William Atiomo

doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-53

Abstract

BackgroundA low Glycaemic Index (GI) diet may decrease some long-term health risks in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) such as endometrial cancer. This study was performed to assess compliance to a low GI diet in women with PCOS. Food diaries prospectively collected over 6 months from women on a low GI diet or healthy eating diet were analysed retrospectively. The women were recruited for a pilot randomised control trial investigating whether a low GI diet decreased the risk of Endometrial Cancer. Nine women with PCOS completed 33 food diaries (17 from women on a low GI diet and 16 from women on a healthy eating diet) recording 3023 food items (low GI group:n = 1457; healthy eating group:n = 1566). Data was analysed using Foster-Powell international values inserted into an SPSS database as no scientifically valid established nutrition software was found. The main outcome measures were mean item GI and Glyacemic Load (GL), mean meal GL, percentage high GI foods and mean weight loss.FindingsWomen allocated the low GI diet had a statistically significant lower GI of food items (33.67 vs 36.91, p < 0.05), lower percentage of high GI foods (4.3% vs 12.1%, p < 0.05) and lower GL of food items and meals.ConclusionWomen with PCOS on a low GI diet consumed food items with a significantly lower mean GI and GL compared to the healthy eating diet group. Longer term compliance needs evaluation in subsequent studies to ascertain that this translates to reduced long term health risks.Trial RegistrationISRCTN: ISRCTN86420258

Highlights

A low Glycaemic Index (GI) diet may decrease some long-term health risks in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) such as endometrial cancer
The mean GI value in the group allocated a low GI diet was significantly lower than the healthy eating group (33.67 vs 36.91, p < 0.05), and the low GI group had a significantly different distribution of GI foods in their diet with a higher percentage of low GI and medium GI foods (81.8% vs 74.6%) and a lower percentage of high GI foods (4.3% vs 12.1%, p < 0.05) (Table 3)
The results suggested that compliance decreased as the study progressed the mean GI and Glyacemic Load (GL) of food items and GL of meals were lower at all stages in the low GI group compared to the healthy eating group

Summary

Introduction

A low Glycaemic Index (GI) diet may decrease some long-term health risks in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) such as endometrial cancer. It is thought that insulin resistance is central to the pathophysiology of PCOS [10,11,12], which underpins the rationale for measures that improve insulin resistance such as dietary modification, exercise and the use of Metformin in the treatment of PCOS and prevention of the long term health risks It has, been suggested that dietary modification using a low calorie low glycaemic index (GI) diet could reduce some of the health risks associated with PCOS including endometrial cancer when compared to other diets [13,14,15]. This study assessed compliance to a low GI diet in women with PCOS using food diaries collected prospectively over six months as part of a pilot randomised control trial at Nottingham University Hospital investigating whether a low GI diet decreased the risk of endometrial cancer [17]. The objectives of the compliance sub analysis were to: 1. Assess the current methods of measuring compliance to a low GI diet and determine the most effective way for use with food diaries

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion