Effect of Low Glycemic Diet on Overweight Women with and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Background: Some evidence suggested that obese women with PCOS in comparison with controls had more difficulties in weight loss. We aimed to compare the effects of the hypocaloric low glycemic diet (LGI) on anthropometric variables and insu-lin resistance in women with and without PCOS.Materials and Methods: Out of 108 women who invited for the purpose of the present study, 62 participants (PCOS= 28, non PCOS= 34) completed the study. The diagnosis of PCOS was based on Rotterdam criteria. We frequently matched our control subjects with PCOS cases based on age and BMI. For both groups energy restricted LGI diet was designed to cause a weight loss of at least 0.5 kg per week. To assess food compli-ance, a 3 day dietary food records (2 week days and one week-end day) was completed twice a month. Anthropometric and metabolic measurements were assessed and analyzed at zero point, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after intervention.Results: Both groups tolerated the dietary intervention and no adverse effects were reported. At zero point and during inter-vention, physical activity levels in both groups did not differ significantly. Weight loss was similar in cases and controls (PCOS=% -8.53 ± 3.77, non PCOS= - %8.12 ± 3.79, P< 0.001). Until week 24, waist circumference was reduced for 7% with no difference between the two groups (P> 0.05). In both groups, no significant reductions in glucose were observed. With regard to insulin there was a significant reduction within both groups when compared to baseline in PCOS (14.25±1.17 mu/L vs. 9.45±1.27 mu/L, P=0.001) and non PCOS (13.41±1.2 mu/L vs. 9.64±0.78 mu/L, P=0.001), although the insulin change did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.59). Reduction in HOMA (PCOS= - 0.88 ± 0.05, non PCOS= -0.79 ± 0.1, P< 0.001) were reported which showed no difference between the two groups (P> 0.05).Conclusion: The energy restricted LGI diet induces equivalent beneficial effect on anthropometric and metabolic variables in women with or without PCOS.

Keywords:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , Low glycemic index (LGI) diet , Weight reduction , Insulin