People With PCOS More At Risk for Eating Disorders
People with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) could be more at risk for eating disorders than people without PCOS, according to recent results from a review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
“Our findings emphasize the importance of screening women with PCOS for eating disorders before clinicians share any lifestyle advice,” said lead study author Laura Cooney, MD, University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. “The lifestyle modifications we often recommend for women with PCOS—including physical activity, healthy diet and behavior modifications—could hinder the recovery process for eating disorders. Health care providers need to be vigilant about screening for eating disorders in this population.”
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Researchers searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and All EMB through February 1, 2024 and pulled studies that compared eating disordered/disordered eating prevalence in adolescent or adult women. Random effects meta-analyses were used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (OR) or standardized mean differences (SMD) of outcomes, and methodological quality was assessed by the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) system. Included studies were also assessed for risk of bias.
A total of 20 studies were included with 28,922 women with PCOS and 258,619 controls. People with PCOS had higher odds of any eating disorder (OR: 1.53 [1.29, 1.82], 8 studies), and those odds increased when patients were diagnosed using Rotterdam criteria (OR: 2.88 [1.55, 5.34], 4 studies). There were increased odds of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and disordered eating in PCOS, but not anorexia nervosa. Mean disordered eating scores were higher in PCOS (SMD: 0.52 [0.28, 0.77], 13 studies).
“This analysis is the first time we’ve been able to confirm an increased risk of specific eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa, commonly called bulimia, and binge eating disorder,” noted Cooney. “Many women with PCOS experience weight stigma, and that can be detrimental to mental health generally and contribute to disordered eating.”
