Do women with PCOS have a unique predisposition to obesity?

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 97; no. 1; pp. 13 - 17
• Main Authors: Hoeger, Kathleen M., Oberfield, Sharon E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: adiposity; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - physiology; Energy Metabolism - physiology; Female; Female genital diseases; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Insulin Resistance - physiology; Internal Medicine; Life Style; lifestyle; lifestyle management; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; metabolism; Non tumoral diseases; Obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - metabolism; Obesity - physiopathology; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Polycystic ovary syndrome; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - epidemiology; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - metabolism; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome - physiopathology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; weight loss; weight reduction; women; lifestyle management; Polycystic ovary syndrome; weight reduction; obesity; Human; Obesity; Gynecology; Body weight; Nutrition disorder; Female sterility; Corporal biometry; Polycystic ovary; Obstetrics; Female genital diseases; Ovarian diseases; Reduction; Clinical management; Treatment; Cyst; Predisposition; Female; Benign neoplasm; Woman; Nutritional status; Life style
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.11.026

Women with PCOS are often obese and there is debate in the literature regarding whether women are obese because of their PCOS status or if those who become obese are more predisposed to PCOS. There is support for a predisposition to obesity by some data indicating impaired metabolism in PCOS women compared to weight matched controls but this data is limited. Contrary data also exist that adiposity rates do not vary between women with PCOS and those without, and that differences in obesity rates between countries are more likely due to environmental and lifestyle factors. Until further data are available, lifestyle recommendations for weight reduction in women with PCOS should be similar to those for women without PCOS.