Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dietary intake and physical activity contribute to obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
DESIGN: Case–control study.
SUBJECTS: A total of 84 cases and 79 neighborhood controls of similar age.
MEASUREMENTS: Fasting insulin, body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), waist/hip ratio, Block Food Frequency Questionnaire, Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire.
RESULTS: Although women with PCOS had a higher BMI than control women, an overall comparison of women with and without PCOS showed no significant difference in dietary intake. However, stratification by BMI revealed that lean women with PCOS reported significantly lower energy intake than lean women without PCOS.
CONCLUSION: Differences in dietary intake and physical activity alone are not sufficient to explain differences in weight between women with and without PCOS. Further research is necessary to determine the relative contributions of lifestyle factors and metabolism to obesity in PCOS.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Knochenhaeur ES, Key TJ, Kahsar-Miller M, Waggoner W, Boots LR, Azziz R . Prevalence of the polycystic ovary syndrome in unselected black and white women of the southeastern United States: a prospective study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998; 83: 3078–3082.
Adams J, Polson DW, Franks S . Prevalence of polycystic ovaries in women with anovulation and idiopathic hirsutism. BMJ 1986; 293: 355–359.
Hull MGR . Epidemiology of infertility and polycystic ovarian disease: endocrinological and demographic studies. Gynecol Endocrinol 1987; 1: 235–245.
Solomon CG . Epidemiology of polycystic ovary syndrome: prevalence and associated disease risks. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am 1999; 28/2: 247–263.
McKittrick M . Diet and polycystic ovary syndrome. Nutr Today 2002; 37/2: 63–69.
Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Johnson CL . Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2000. JAMA 2002; 288/14: 1772–1773.
Dunaif A . Insulin resistance and the polycystic ovary syndrome: mechanism and implications for pathogenesis. Endocr Rev 1997; 18/6: 774–800.
Nestler JE, Clore JN, Blackard WG . The central role of obesity (hyperinsulinemia) in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1989; 161/5: 1095–1097.
Nestler JE . Insulin resistance effects on sex hormones and ovulation in the polycystic ovary syndrome. In: Reaven GM, Laws A (eds) Insulin Resistance: The Metabolic Syndrome X. Humana Press: Totowa, NJ, 1999.
Pasquali R, Casimirri F, Venturoli S, Paradisi R, Mattioli L, Capelli M, Melchionda N, Labo G . Insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovaries: its relationship to body weight and androgen levels. Acta Endocrinol 1983; 104: 110–116.
Dunaif A . Insulin action in the polycystic ovary syndrome. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am 1999; 28/2: 341–359.
Talbott E, Clerici A, Berga SL, Kuller L, Guzick D, Detre K, Daniels T, Engberg RA . Adverse lipid and coronary heart disease risk profiles in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome: result of a case–control study. J Clin Epidemiol 1998; 51/5: 415–422.
Pasquali R, Casimirri F, Venturoli S, Antonio M, Morselli L, Reho S, Pezolli A, Paradisi R . Body fat distribution has weight-independent effects on clinical, hormonal, and metabolic features of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Metabolism 1994; 43/6: 706–713.
Pasquali R, Antenucci D, Casimirri F, Venturoli S, Paradisi R, Fabbri R, Balestra V, Melchionda N, Barbara L . Clinical and hormonal characteristics of obese amenorrheic hyperandrogenic women before and after weight loss. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1989; 68/1: 173–179.
Kiddy DS, Hamilton-Fairley D, Bush A, Short F, Anyaoku V, Reed MJ, Franks S . Improvement in endocrine and ovarian function during dietary treatment of obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Clin Endocrinol 1992; 36: 105–111.
Holte J, Bergy T, Berne C, Wide L, Lithell H . Restored insulin sensitivity but persistently increased early insulin secretion after weight loss in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995; 80: 2586–2593.
Andersen P, Seljeflot I, Abdelnoor M, Amesen H, Dale PO, Lovik A, Birkeland K . Increased insulin sensitivity and fibrinolytic capacity after dietary intervention in obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Metabolism 1995; 44/5: 611–616.
Arroyo A, Laughlin GA, Morales AJ, Yen SSC . Inappropriate gonadotropin secretion in polycystic ovary syndrome: influence of adiposity. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997; 82/11: 3728–3733.
Bates GW, Whitworth NS . Effect of body weight reduction on plasma androgens in obese, infertile women. Fertil Steril 1982; 38/4: 406–409.
Crave JC, Fimbel S, Lejune H, Cugnardey N, Dechaud H, Pugeat M . Effects of diet and metformin administration on sex hormone-binding globulin, androgens, and insulin in hirsute and obese women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1995; 80/7: 2057–2062.
Kopelman PG, White N, Pilkington TRE, Jeffcoate SL . The effect of weight loss on sex steroid secretion and binding in massively obese women. Clin Endocrinol 1981; 14: 113–116.
Kiddy DS, Sharp PS, White DM, Scanlon MF, Mason HD, Bray CS, Polson DW, Reed MJ, Franks S . Differences in clinical and endocrine features between obese and non-obese subjects with polycystic ovary syndrome: an analysis of 263 consecutive cases. Clin Endocrinol 1990; 32: 213–220.
Robinson S, Chan SP, Spacey S, Anyaoku V, Johnston DG, Franks S . Postprandial thermogenesis is reduced in polycystic ovary syndrome and is associated with increased insulin resistance. Clin Endocrinol 1992; 36/6: 537–543.
Segal KR, Dunaif A . Resting metabolic rate and postprandial thermogenesis in polycystic ovary syndrome. Int J Obesity 1990; 14: 559–567.
Ravussin E, Zawadzki JK . Thermic effect of glucose in obese subjects with non-insulin dependent diabetes. Diabetes 1987; 36: 1441–1447.
Block G, Hartman AM, Dresser CM, Carroll MD, Gannon J, Gardner I . A data-based approach to diet questionnaire testing and design. Am J Epidemiol 1986; 124/3: 453–469.
Paffenbarger RS, Wing AL, Hyde RT . Physical activity was an index of heart attack risk in college alumni. Am J Epidemiol 1978; 108: 161–175.
Paffenbarger RS, Blair SN, Lee I-M, Hyde RT . Measurement of physical activity to assess health effects in free-living populations. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1993; 25: 60–70.
Reaven GM . Syndrome X. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med 2001; 3/4: 323–332.
Krauss RM, Eckel RH, Howard B, Appel LJ, Daniels SR, Deckelbaum RJ, Erdman Jr JW, Kris-Etherton P, Goldberg IJ, Kotchen TA, Lichtenstein AH, Mitch WE, Mullis R, Robinson K, Wylie-Rosett J, St Jeor S, Suttie J, Tribble DL, Bazzarre TL . AHA Dietary Guidelines Revision 2000: a statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2000; 102/18: 2284–2299.
Jain M, Howe GR, Rohan T . Dietary assessment in epidemiology: comparison of a food frequency and a diet history questionnaire with a 7-day food record. Am J Epidemiol 1996; 143/9: 953–960.
Block G, Woods M, Potosky A, Clifford C . Validation of a self-administered diet history questionnaire using multiple diet records. J Clin Epidemiol 1990; 43/12: 1327–1335.
Caan BJ, Slattery ML, Potter J, Quesenberry Jr CP, Coates AO, Schaffer DM . Comparison of the Block and the Willet self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires with an interviewer-administered dietary history. Am J Epidemiol 1998; 148/12: 1137–1147.
Klesges RC, Eck LH, Ray JW . Who underreports dietary intake in a dietary recall? Evidence from the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Consult Clin Psychol 1995; 63/3: 438–444.
Ainsworth BE, Leon A, Richardson MT, Jacobs DR, Paffenbarger Jr RS . Accuracy of the college alumnus physical activity questionnaire. J Clin Epidemiol 1993; 46/12: 1403–1411.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wright, C., Zborowski, J., Talbott, E. et al. Dietary intake, physical activity, and obesity in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Int J Obes 28, 1026–1032 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802661
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802661
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Association of dietary inflammatory index with C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 in women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome
Scientific Reports (2024)
-
Influence of lifestyle factors with the outcome of menstrual disorders among adolescents and young women in West Bengal, India
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Associations of diet, physical activity and polycystic ovary syndrome in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Women’s Study
BMC Public Health (2021)
-
Perceptions and experiences of lifestyle interventions in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as a management strategy for symptoms of PCOS
BMC Women's Health (2021)
-
The resting metabolic rate in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and its relation to the hormonal milieu, insulin metabolism, and body fat distribution: a cohort study
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation (2019)