Women with PCOS have more body image concerns: Study

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have higher body image concerns than women without the condition, according to research presented at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago. PCOS affects 7 percent to 10 percent of women and is a leading cause of infertility. It has also been linked to metabolic health issues such as diabetes, cardiovascular health issues and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

“Although there is a substantial association between PCOS, depression, and anxiety, it is unclear whether there is a similar association between PCOS and body image issues,” said Puneet Kempegowda, PhD, assistant professor of endocrinology, diabetes and acute medicine. Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham at Birmingham, UK

“If left untreated, body image issues can result in body dysmorphic disorder, a mental health condition in which a person spends a lot of time stressing about flaws in their looks. This can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.” The risk of developing a disorder may also increase.”

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Kempegowda and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of all studies on body image concerns published up to July 2022. They identified nine relevant studies, with sample sizes ranging from 33 to 201 for people with PCOS and 22 to 225 for those without. PCOS, resulting in a total of 918 women with PCOS and 865 women without PCOS for their review.

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of three studies using the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire Appearance Scales (MBSRQ-AS). The findings were clinically significant, with women living with PCOS feeling worse on appearance evaluation and appearance orientation than those without PCOS.

Kempegowda and group also completed a meta-analysis of two studies that found significantly higher weight concern, lower body regions satisfaction, and higher self-rated body satisfaction on the MBSRQ-AS subscales, compared to people with PCOS without the condition. Weight is shown.

Finally, a meta-analysis of two studies using the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA) showed significantly lower scores for weight satisfaction in women with PCOS compared to women without PCOS. However, there were no statistically significant differences in BESAA appearance and attribution scores between the two groups.

Kempegowda said, “Our study emphasizes the need for increased awareness and screening for body image concerns in people with PCOS as these may increase their risk of developing an eating disorder and adversely affect their quality of life.” ”