Abstract
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are at an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and abdominal obesity in the state of an improper diet balance. Leptin is a peptide considered to be a satiety hormone that plays an important role in the long-term energy balance, whereas ghrelin is a hormone that controls short-term appetite regulation and is considered a hunger hormone. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between serum leptin and ghrelin concentrations and the dietary macronutrient content in PCOS women. We examined 73 subjects: 39 women diagnosed with PCOS by the Rotterdam criteria and 34 healthy controls, matched by the body mass index. The subjects completed a consecutive three-day dietary diary to identify the macronutrient and micronutrient intake. Serum concentrations of leptin and total ghrelin were measured and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The studied groups did not differ significantly in terms of the intake of macronutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) and serum concentrations of ghrelin and leptin (all p > 0.05). In the PCOS group, the serum leptin concentration positively correlated with the intake of total fat (r = 0.36, p = 0.02), total cholesterol (r = −0.36, p = 0.02), saturated fatty acids (r = 0.43, p < 0.01), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (r = 0.37, p = 0.02), whereas the serum ghrelin concentration correlated in an inverse manner with the intake of total fat (r = −0.37, p = 0.02), MUFA (r = −0.37, p = 0.02), polyunsaturated fatty acids (r = −0.34, p = 0.03), and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (r = −0.38, p = 0.02). In this group, we also found a negative association of HOMA-IR with serum ghrelin levels (r = −0.4, p = 0.03) and a positive relationship with the serum leptin concentration (r = 0.5, p < 0.01) and relationships between HOMA-IR and total dietary fat (r = 0.38, p = 0.03) and MUFA (r = 0.35, p = 0.04) intake. In PCOS women, dietary components such as the total fat and type of dietary fat and HOMA-IR are positively connected to serum leptin concentrations and negatively connected to serum ghrelin concentrations, which may influence the energy balance.
Highlights
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy affecting reproductive-age women, with a prevalence reaching 6–20%, depending on the criteria used [1]
Considering the insufficient data and contradictory results of studies conducted in women with PCOS, the purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between serum leptin and ghrelin concentrations and the dietary macronutrient intake in women with PCOS
The studied groups did not differ significantly in terms of body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), women with PCOS were younger than controls
Summary
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy affecting reproductive-age women, with a prevalence reaching 6–20%, depending on the criteria used [1]. Some studies have shown an association of an increased consumption of total fat and saturated fatty acids with weight gain and obesity [9,11]. Other authors have demonstrated weight gain with an increased carbohydrate intake [10] and with an increased calorie intake [16] These conflicting data may result from several methodological issues that make findings from studies on diet and body weight difficult to interpret. There are indications that the intake of carbohydrates and fat is more subject to underreporting than the intake of protein, which can affect the results of studies on the macronutrient composition and body weight [12,14] and may confound the association between dietary intake and body weight
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
