Risco metabólico e consumo alimentar em mulheres com e sem síndrome dos ovários policísticos

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) mainly affects adult women and is characterized by insulin resistance (IR), which increases metabolic risk.. Currently, dietary assessment goes beyond macronutrients, and it is important to analyze dietary quality, such as the NOVA classification, which categorizes foods according to the extent and purpose of their processing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between metabolic markers and dietary intake in women with and without PCOS. This is a cross-sectional study with 31 women with PCOS and 28 without PCOS. Metabolic parameters, anthropometric measurements, and body composition were assessed. Metabolic syndrome (MS) was assessed according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Dietary intake was analyzed by a Food Frequency Questionnaire and classified according to NOVA. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare variables between groups. Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to correlate markers in women with and without PCOS. Regarding metabolic parameters, women with PCOS had higher values of insulin (p=0.013), Homeostasis Model Assessment-estimated Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) (p=0.014) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.007); body mass (p=0.005), Body Mass Index (p=0.01), waist (p=0.011), hip (p=0.005) and neck (p=0.031) circumferences, waist-to-hip ratio (p=0.027), body fat tissue (p=0.008), android tissue (p=0.008) and estimated visceral adipose tissue (p=0.001) than women without PCOS. The prevalence of MS was 32.3% in the PCOS group and 14.3% in women without PCOS (p=0.105). There was no difference in dietary intake between women with and without PCOS. In the non-PCOS group, the energy contribution of unprocessed or minimally processed foods and culinary preparation was 64.3%, from processed foods 11.4% and from ultra-processed foods (UPF) 20.7%; while in the PCOS group, it was 66.1%, 13.6%, and 20.4%, respectively. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods were negatively associated with total body fat (ρ = -0.465; p <0.05) and android fat (ρ = -0.351; p <0.05); processed foods were positively correlated with HOMA-IR (ρ = 0.384; p <0.05); a positive relationship was observed between ultraprocessed foods and total body fat (ρ = 0.414; p <0.05), HOMA-IR levels (ρ = 0.363; p <0.05) and CRP levels (ρ = 0.361; p <0.05). Therefore, a high prevalence of metabolic risk markers was found, particularly in women with PCOS. Dietary intake did not differ between the groups, suggesting that metabolic risk seems to be associated with the condition itself. However, women with PCOS reported more food intake factors related to metabolic risk, highlighting the higher consumption of UPF, related to higher intake of saturated fat, and the lower consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods.