Women with PCOS have higher risk of developing eating disorders, says study
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that women who have PCOS have a higher risk of developing eating disorders. Women with PCOS also have a higher risk of developing metabolic disorders such as diabetes and experiencing reproductive problems including infertility. Read on to know more about the study.
Women with PCOS have a higher risk of developing eating disorders
A recent study found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)PCO) have a 50 percent higher risk of developing an eating disorder, including binge eating. PCOS is a condition in which many small fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, develop on the edge of the ovaries. These cysts contain immature eggs. PCOS is characterized by irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen levels, and polycystic ovaries. The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Laura Cooney, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin in the US and first author of the study, said the analysis is the first to confirm that women with the hormonal condition have an “increased risk for specific eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa, commonly referred to as bulimia, and binge eating disorder.”
Bulimia is a serious illness that causes severe problems in a person’s eating behavior. It is marked by episodes of uncontrollable overeating, called binging. This is followed by purging by methods such as vomiting or the misuse of laxatives or water pills (diuretics). Binging means that you eat a much larger amount of food than you normally would in a short period of time, often in less than 2 hours.
Women with PCOS have a higher risk of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and reproductive problems, including infertility. “Many women with PCOS face weight stigma, and this can be detrimental to mental health in general and contribute to disordered eating,” Cooney said.
For the study, researchers looked at the results of 20 cross-sectional studies in nine countries. The analysis included data from nearly 29,000 women with PCOS and more than 2.5 lakh women who did not have the disease. “Individuals with PCOS were more likely to have any disease,” the authors wrote. eating disorderWhich persisted in studies where PCOS was diagnosed by the Rotterdam criteria.”
According to the Rotterdam criteria, women are diagnosed with PCOS if they have two of the three major symptoms; an increased number of ovarian follicles containing immature eggs (called polycystic ovaries) on ultrasound, associated symptoms such as slightly higher testosterone levels or excess body hair, and irregular or absent menstrual periods.
Looking at the women’s body mass index (BMI), the researchers found that both normal- and overweight women had a higher risk of disordered eating, suggesting that the risk of developing an eating disorder does not depend on BMI.
“Our findings highlight the importance of screening for eating disorders in women with PCOS before physicians provide any lifestyle advice,” Cooney said.
“We often recommend lifestyle changes for women with PCOS — including physical activity, healthy diet, and behavior changes — which may hinder the recovery process from eating disorders. Healthcare providers need to be vigilant about screening for eating disorders in this population,” she added.
(With inputs from PTI)
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