Food habits and physical activities of women with hirsute-polycystic ovary syndrome

S Fonseka,N S Kalupahana,S Rosairo,C N Wijeyaratne,I B Gawarammana,D D J Bandara,R Kumarasiri

doi:10.4038/sljm.v30i1.201

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multisystem disease affecting females of childbearing age. This disease imposes a huge economic, social and psychological burden on the patient. The first line management of PCOS is lifestyle modification. However, there are no Sri Lankan data about the diet and physical activity of these women. This is a case-control study to compare the dietary habits and physical activity between 99 hirsute-PCOS women and 100 age-matched controls. We compared the dietary intake and physical activity of the two groups using a validated food frequency chart and a physical activity questionnaire. The Student t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Food consumption pattern was similar in both groups except for a significantly higher consumption of eggs, refined carbohydrates, pulses and grains in controls. PCOS patents in the BMI category of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 consumed significantly less amounts of fish, eggs, dairy products, pulses and grains. With regard to physical activity, light, moderate and heavy exercise was significantly higher in controls. It is concluded that hirsute PCOS women seem to have different dietary habit and reduced physical activity than controls.

Highlights

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the commonest endocrine disorders affecting women of childbearing age
About 80% of the PCOS population consists of a phenotype associated with a high body mass index (BMI) and increased waist to hip ratio [2]
The difference in physical activity (MET/week) between PCOS patients and controls according to BMI categories were not statistically significant, except for the BMI category 18.5 – 24.9

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the commonest endocrine disorders affecting women of childbearing age. About 80% of the PCOS population consists of a phenotype associated with a high body mass index (BMI) and increased waist to hip ratio [2] This phenotype has been shown to have worse metabolic features [3]. Studies examining the pattern of food intake and physical activity of PCOS patients in Sri Lanka are lacking. This case-control study was done to compare the dietary habits and physical activity of PCOS patients with controls. Undergraduate students and staff members of Faculty of Medicine University of Peradeniya were invited as the control group Their age range was between 19 and 43 years. Mann Whitney U test was used for food frequency data and physical activity data that were not normally distributed

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

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