A recent study found that women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a 50 per cent higher risk of developing eating disorders, including binge eating. PCOS is a condition wherein one develops several small sacs filled with fluid along the oyster edge of the ovary, which are known as cysts. These cysts have immature eggs present in them. PCOS is characterised by irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen levels, and polycystic ovaries. The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Laura Cooney, an associate professor at the University of Wisconsin, US and the first author of the study said that the analysis is the first to confirm “an increased risk of specific eating disorders, including bulimia nervosa, commonly called bulimia, and binge eating disorder” among women affected by the hormonal condition

Bulimia is a serious illness that causes severe problems with a person's eating behaviours. It is marked by uncontrolled episodes of overeating, called bingeing. This is followed by purging with methods such as vomiting or misuse of laxatives or water pills (diuretics). Bingeing is eating much larger amounts of food than you would normally eat in a short period of time, often less than 2 hours.

Women having PCOS are known to be at a higher risk of experiencing metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, and reproductive issues, including infertility. Cooney said, “Many women with PCOS experience weight stigma, and that can be detrimental to mental health generally and contribute to disordered eating.”

For the study, the researchers looked at results from 20 cross-sectional studies across nine countries. Data from close to 29,000 women with PCOS and over 2.5 lakh women not having the condition were included in the analysis. The authors wrote, “Individuals with PCOS had higher odds of any eating disorder, which persisted in studies where PCOS was diagnosed by Rotterdam criteria.”

According to the Rotterdam criteria, women are diagnosed with PCOS when they have two of these three key features; increased numbers of ovarian follicles containing immature eggs (called polycystic ovaries) seen on ultrasound, slightly higher levels of testosterone or related symptoms like excess body hair, and irregular or no menstrual periods.

Looking at the body mass indices (BMI) of women, the researchers found that both women with normal and those having a higher weight had a higher risk of disordered eating, suggesting that the risk of developing eating disorders did not depend on BMI.

Cooney said, “Our findings emphasise the importance of screening women with PCOS for eating disorders before clinicians share any lifestyle advice.”

She added, “The lifestyle modifications we often recommend for women with PCOS -- including physical activity, healthy diet and behaviour 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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