Abstract

ROLE OF DIET IN PCOS (LIFE STYLE DISORDER)

Kajal A. Vaidya*, Rutuja Gaikwad and Vd. Surekha Dewaikar

ABSTRACT

Diseases of longevity often referred as "lifestyle disorders" is a great threat to the overall health of the society. Pcos patients are not always obese but PCOS is mainly associated with obesity and insulin resistance. The prevalence of PCOS is more in obese women than lean women. The conventional treatment for PCOS includes lifestyle changes (change in diet and exercise), medical treatment that includes ovulation induction, hormonal treatment and surgical therapy [ovarian drilling]. There is somewhat low success rate in all these therapies in terms of gaining fertility and normal menstruation. Only treatment can cure this is traditional systems of medicine mainly in Ayurveda. Effective and beneficial approaches to nutrition and exercise improve endocrine features, reproductive function and cardiometabolic risk profile--even without marked weight loss. Diet and exercise need to be given as per individual's needs and preferences. Calorie intake should be distributed between several meals per day with low intake from snacks, drinks. Use of drugs to either improve insulin sensitivity or to promote weight loss are justified as a short-term measure, and are most likely to be beneficial when used early in combination with diet and exercise.

Keywords: PCOS, Diet, lifestyle disorder, obesity.