PCOS linked to unfavourable eating patterns among middle-aged women

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in their middle years are prone to exhibiting unfavourable eating behaviours, according to a study.

The study included 251 women with PCOS at age 31 years using the updated Rotterdam criteria and 935 without the medical condition (controls). In the PCOS group, 60 had the classic A+B phenotype (hyperandrogenism and oligomenorrhea, with or without elevated antimüllerian hormone), 84 had the C phenotype (hyperandrogenism and elevated antimüllerian hormone), and 86 had the D phenotype (oligomenorrhea and elevated antimüllerian hormone).

Researchers used the revised Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 to assess eating behaviour domains. Results showed that compared with controls, women with PCOS had higher scores for emotional (39.0 vs 33.1) and uncontrolled eating (30.7 vs 26.7) at age 46 years. However, there was no between-group difference observed in cognitive restraint (45.9 vs 46.6).

In subgroup analyses, emotional and uncontrolled eating scores were higher among women with the A+B phenotype than among controls, whereas uncontrolled eating scores were higher among those with the C phenotype than among controls and those with the D phenotype.

At age 46 years, emotional eating among women with PCOS was associated with the perception of overweight (B, 11.96, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 2.81–20.29), while uncontrolled eating was predicted by a history of weight loss attempts (B, 6.06, 95 percent CI, 1.05–10.83).

Higher psychological distress at age 31 years was associated with increased odds of emotional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.85, 95 percent CI, 1.19–6.85) and uncontrolled eating (aOR, 4.37, 95 percent CI, 1.77–10.80) at age 46 years.

The findings underscore the importance of sensitivity in weight management counselling and addressing psychological distress to mitigate unfavourable eating behaviour in this population, the researchers said.