The Impact of Depression and Dietary Practices on Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Among Females of Northern Punjab, Pakistan

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder affecting women of reproductive age, characterized by dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, hyperandrogenism and cystic ovaries. Objective: This study investigated the association between PCOS and physical activity, weight management, depression and eating practices among the women residing in northern Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in different regions of Lahore district, Punjab, Pakistan. Female participants aged 18-35 and diagnosed with PCOS were eligible for this study while lactating and post-menopausal women were excluded. The data were collected by a designed questionnaire communicated with participants via email or face-to-face interactions. To assess the dietary practices, 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire was used. Furthermore, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was employed to evaluate the presence of depressive symptoms. The collected data were analyzed statistically using IBM SPSS statistics for windows, version 21. Result: The data of total 150 women revealed a high prevalence of weight management issues among participants. Additionally, majority of participants reported engaging in physical activity but up to insufficient levels. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between PCOS and depression (p<0.05) and eating practices (p<0.05). Among eating habits, the major indications were recorded in terms of skipping meals specifically the breakfast and increased consumption of sugary and processed foods. Conclusion: In a nutshell, these findings suggest that multiple factors are contributing to progression of PCOS among women in northern Punjab. These outcomes necessitate a holistic approach targeting not only the physical health but the eating practices as well as mental well-being for effective management of PCOS.