Do women with PCOS have a greater risk of being overweight?
It is currently not clear if there are any biological factors that could lead to women with PCOS having more difficulties with weight management. However, there is some recent research that hormones involved in controlling appetite and hunger aren’t regulated properly in some women with PCOS. If this is the case, this might lead to some women with PCOS being more likely to gain weight and having more difficulty in losing weight. This shouldn’t lead to discouragement with weight management. Develop goals for yourself that are realistic so you won’t feel discouraged if you don’t lose weight as quickly as others. Maximise your likelihood of weight loss by combining diet and physical activity, rather than just using a single strategy. While in the short-term you might have more difficulty in weight management, if you persevere and explore different options there is no reason why you can’t find a healthy lifestyle plan that will help you manage your weight and PCOS symptoms in the long-term
