Are Dietary Indices Associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Phenotypes? A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal disorder which impairs ovarian function. The adherence to healthy dietary patterns and physical exercise are the first line of recommended treatment for PCOS patients, but it is yet unclear what type of diet is more adequate. In this case-control study, we explored associations between adherence to five dietary quality indices and the presence of PCOS. We enrolled 126 cases of PCOS and 159 controls living in Murcia (Spain). Diagnostic of PCOS and its phenotypes were established following the Rotterdam criteria (hyperandrogenism (H), oligoanovulation (O), polycystic ovaries morphology (POM)). We used a validated food frequency questionnaires to calculate the scores of five dietary indices: alternate Healthy Eating index (AHEI), AHEI-2010, relative Mediterranean Dietary Score (rMED), alternate Mediterranean Dietary Score (aMED) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals. In the multivariable analysis, AHEI-2010 index was inversely associated with Hyperandrogenism + Oligoanovulation PCOS phenotype (ORQ3 vs. Q1 = 0.1; 95% CI: (0.0; 0.9); Pfor trend = 0.02). We did not find any statistical significant association between dietary indices and total anovulatory or ovulatory PCOS. However, further studies with higher sample sizes exploring these associations among the diverse phenotypes of PCOS are highly warranted.

Correlation between Selected Clinical Symptoms and Severity of Aggression, Impulsiveness and Their Selected Behavioral Manifestations in Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Phenotype A

“…In contrast, Zhang B. et al in 2020 found no difference between the three study groups (a group of women with PCOS and oligo-ovulation, a group of women with PCOS and normal ovulation, and a group of healthy women without PCOS) in alcohol consumption patterns [ 43 ]. Similar findings were published by Sánchez-Ferrer et al in 2020 and Cutillas-Tolín et al in 2021, showing no differences in alcohol consumption patterns between a group of women with PCOS and a group of healthy women [ 44 , 45 ]. However, all the cited studies differ significantly in methodology, did not use the AUDIT test, and only asked about drinking alcohol.…”

Efficacy, Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mediterranean Diet Intervention on Hormonal, Metabolic and Anthropometric Measures in Overweight and Obese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Study Protocol

“…Moreover, the investigators further reported marked differences in the habitual dietary behaviours between the two groups, whereby women with PCOS consumed less EVOO, legumes, fish/seafood, and nuts compared to women without PCOS. In corroboration with the aforementioned study, Cutillas-Tolín et al [78] reported that adherence to a MedDiet was protective against clinical phenotypic features of PCOS, namely hyperandrogenism and oligo-anovulation. Moreover.…”

Metabolically Healthy Obesity (MHO) vs. Metabolically Unhealthy Obesity (MUO) Phenotypes in PCOS: Association with Endocrine-Metabolic Profile, Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and Body Composition

“…We previously reported that PCOS women had lower adherence to the MD as compared with BMI-matched controls, with an inverse association among the adherence to MD, BMI, and the clinical severity of the disease [81]. Accordingly, Cutillas-Tolín A et al (2021) [82] found that the women with PCOS and a higher adherence scores to the MD had a lower BMI. In our study, we confirmed that a low adherence to the MD was very common among MUO-PCOS, as up to 85% of MUO-PCOS had a PREDIMED score <5.…”