Long‐Term Effect of a Pulse‐Based Diet and Exercise Training Intervention on Body Composition and Dietary Intake in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

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Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that predisposes women to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and infertility. We have previously demonstrated that a 16‐week diet and exercise intervention using either a pulse based diet or National Cholesterol Education Program therapeutic lifestyle changes (TLC) diet, leads to reduced body weight and percent body fat as well as improved reproductive measures in women with PCOS. We hypothesized that these effects would be maintained at 6‐months following the intervention. Baseline dietary assessment in women with PCOS aged 18‐35y (n=54) using a 4‐day food record demonstrate an intake of 2180 kcal which is within 6% of the individual TEE calculated using the EER equations (DRIs – 2002). Ten women who were randomly assigned to the 16‐week intervention receiving either the pulse‐based diet (n=4) or the TLC diet (n=6) while completing an exercise program were followed up at 6‐months post intervention. At 6‐months, women on both diets consumed fewer kcals (2380 vs 1700; p<0.005) and had both a lower fat (95 vs 60g; p<0.005 ) and carbohydrate (286 vs 211g; p<0.05) intake with no difference between diet groups, while protein intake was not different at 6‐months compared to baseline. Both body weight and percent body fat were not different at 6‐months compared to the end of the intervention. These results suggest that both diet interventions in combination with exercise have positive long‐term effects in women with PCOS. Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Agriculture Agri‐Food Canada