Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are at risk of emotional and uncontrolled eating at midlife: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate eating behavior domains-emotional, uncontrolled, and cognitive restraint eating-in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with different PCOS phenotypes and women without PCOS at midlife.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study. Eating behavior domains were assessed at age of 46 years. Predictors of eating behaviors were evaluated using variables collected at ages of 31 and 46 years.

SUBJECTS: Women identified as having PCOS (n = 251) at age of 31 years using the updated Rotterdam criteria were compared with women without any PCOS criteria (n = 935). The PCOS population comprised women with the classic A+B-phenotype (hyperandrogenism and oligomenorrhea, with or without elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 60), C-phenotype (hyperandrogenism and elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 84), and D-phenotype (oligomenorrhea and elevated antimüllerian hormone, n = 86).

EXPOSURE: Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Revised Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 scores for eating behavior domains.

RESULTS

Compared with women without PCOS, women with PCOS exhibited higher scores for emotional (33.1 ± 27.8 vs. 39.0 ± 29.9) and uncontrolled eating (26.7 ± 18.2 vs. 30.7 ± 19.4) but no difference in cognitive restraint (46.6 ± 18.6 vs. 45.9 ± 18.5) at age of 46 years. Emotional and uncontrolled eating scores were higher in the A+B-phenotype compared with women without PCOS, whereas uncontrolled eating scores in the C-phenotype were higher than in women without PCOS and the D-phenotype. At age of 46 years, the perception of overweight was an independent predictor of emotional eating among women with PCOS (B = 11.96 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 2.81-20.29]), whereas a history of weight loss attempts was a predictor of uncontrolled eating (B = 6.06 [95% CI: 1.05-10.83]). Among women with PCOS, higher psychological distress at age of 31 years was a significant risk factor for scoring in the highest quartile of emotional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.85 [95% CI: 1.19-6.85]) and uncontrolled eating (aOR: 4.37 [95% CI: 1.77-10.80]) at age of 46 years.

CONCLUSION

Women with PCOS at midlife showed a high tendency for unfavorable eating behaviors. Our findings emphasize the need for sensitivity in weight management counseling and addressing psychological distress to prevent unfavorable eating in this population.