PCOS patients differ in meal timings rather than total caloric or macronutrient intake in comparison to weight...

There is paucity of data related to dietary patterns in women with PCOS with heterogenous phenotypes compared to weight matched healthy women. In the present study, we studied the influence of diet and dietary patterns in relation to BMI and phenotype of PCOS women.

Case control study in a tertiary care hospital.

168 PCOS women and 102 age matched healthy women were recruited. All were subjected to clinical examination, biochemical, hormonal and dietary assessment based on 2-day dietary recall and direct interview by dieticians.

There was no difference in the total energy and macronutrient distribution among the lean and obese PCOS women compared to weight matched controls. There was a higher junk intake and lower fibre intake among PCOS patients compared to controls. There was no difference in the total energy or macronutrient distribution or meal timings among different phenotypes of PCOS. Around 40% PCOS women had a late/missed breakfast pattern compared to 15% of healthy controls (p-0.00). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, we observed that late breakfast and late lunch patterns were associated with PCOS independent of BMI (OR-3.3[CI- 1.7-6.8] and 3.0 [CI- 1.2-6.9]). Junk intake was correlated with BMI, glucose and cholesterol levels and dairy intake was correlated with hirsuitism score.

We demonstrate for the first time that PCOS women differ significantly from weight matched controls in the timings of their breakfast and lunch intake rather than the total caloric intake and macronutrient distribution. Whether correction of meal timings and food choices can improve the phenotypic manifestations of PCOS remains to be seen.