Healthy eating index in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case-control study

Despite many effort to identify and control the factors involved in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), there are no available reports indicating the association of healthy eating index (HEI) and PCOS.

The present study has been conducted to examine the relationship between HEI and PCOS.

In this case-control study, the study population comprised 297 women aged 20-40 yr referred to Baqiyatallah Hospital Clinics, Tehran, Iran in two groups: case group (n=99) and control group (n=198). The usual dietary data were collected using a validated 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Standard anthropometric measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference) were also taken. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between the PCOS and the HEI.

The mean age and body mass index of case and control groups were 29±5.5 vs. 29.5±6 yr and 26.6±4.8 vs. 26±4.2 kg/m², respectively (p=0.752, p=0.822). Mean HEI scores for the case and control groups were found to be 61 and 65, respectively. In final model and after adjustment for confounders, the prevalence of PCOS in subjects in the highest tertile HEI score was significantly (50%) less than those in the lowest tertile HEI score (OR=0.50; 95% CI: 0.25-0.74, p=0.001).

Our results suggest that HEI score is inversely associated with the risk of PCOS in adult women.