News | Study Finds PCOS Care Must Move Beyond Weight-Loss Bias
A systematic study led by Monash University found that lifestyle management is important in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but an excessive focus on weight loss may harm some patients' mental health and overall well-being. Published in Obesity Reviews, the study calls for less weight stigma and more comprehensive PCOS education for healthcare professionals.
PCOS and Its Effects
PCOS is an endocrine disorder affecting about 10-13% of women of reproductive age. Its main features include irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, hirsutism, weight gain, and increased risk of cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes. Although dietary and exercise management can improve reproductive, metabolic, and psychological symptoms, weight bias in healthcare continues to impede access to high-quality care.
The Impact of Weight Stigma
The review included 68 papers on PCOS care and found that weight stigma affects patients in both larger and smaller bodies:
Patients in larger bodies: treatment advice often centers on weight loss while overlooking other health needs.
Patients in smaller bodies: because they appear “healthy,” they are often excluded from lifestyle management and do not receive comprehensive care.
This bias can undermine patients' self-perception and mental health and cause many to delay or forgo care.
Calls to Reform Clinical Practice
Associate Professor Lisa Moran, co-lead author and head of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), said PCOS care must shift from a weight-centered approach to comprehensive management guided by individual needs.
“The research shows that lifestyle advice from a multidisciplinary team, including dietitians, can better address patients' actual needs and support more sustainable health improvements.”
First author Margaret McGowan, an accredited dietitian and PhD candidate at MCHRI, also emphasized: “Weight stigma is a major barrier to care for people with PCOS, and healthcare professionals need more education and training about its effects.”
Co-lead author Dr. Steph Cowan added that when patients choose weight loss as part of PCOS treatment, the care team should provide tailored, supportive guidance. Clinical practice should also explore weight-neutral options, particularly when weight loss is not the patient's primary goal.
International PCOS Management Resources
MCHRI has developed and promoted several global PCOS management resources, including AskPCOS, a free women's health app with more than 75,000 users across 195 countries. In 2023, MCHRI also worked with 39 international organizations and more than 100 multidisciplinary experts to publish the evidence-based International Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS.
Through collaboration with the Monash Women's Health Alliance (MWHA), the team is advancing research into women's health, including PCOS, with the goal of improving public health and clinical practice for women of all ages and gender-diverse people.
News | Study Finds PCOS Care Must Move Beyond Weight-Loss Bias
News | Study Finds PCOS Care Must Move Beyond Weight-Loss Bias
A systematic study led by Monash University found that lifestyle management is important in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but an excessive focus on weight loss may harm some patients' mental health and overall well-being. Published in Obesity Reviews, the study calls for less weight stigma and more comprehensive PCOS education for healthcare professionals.
PCOS and Its Effects
PCOS is an endocrine disorder affecting about 10-13% of women of reproductive age. Its main features include irregular menstrual cycles, infertility, hirsutism, weight gain, and increased risk of cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes. Although dietary and exercise management can improve reproductive, metabolic, and psychological symptoms, weight bias in healthcare continues to impede access to high-quality care.
The Impact of Weight Stigma
The review included 68 papers on PCOS care and found that weight stigma affects patients in both larger and smaller bodies:
Patients in larger bodies: treatment advice often centers on weight loss while overlooking other health needs.
Patients in smaller bodies: because they appear “healthy,” they are often excluded from lifestyle management and do not receive comprehensive care.
This bias can undermine patients' self-perception and mental health and cause many to delay or forgo care.
Calls to Reform Clinical Practice
Associate Professor Lisa Moran, co-lead author and head of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), said PCOS care must shift from a weight-centered approach to comprehensive management guided by individual needs.
“The research shows that lifestyle advice from a multidisciplinary team, including dietitians, can better address patients' actual needs and support more sustainable health improvements.”
First author Margaret McGowan, an accredited dietitian and PhD candidate at MCHRI, also emphasized: “Weight stigma is a major barrier to care for people with PCOS, and healthcare professionals need more education and training about its effects.”
Co-lead author Dr. Steph Cowan added that when patients choose weight loss as part of PCOS treatment, the care team should provide tailored, supportive guidance. Clinical practice should also explore weight-neutral options, particularly when weight loss is not the patient's primary goal.
International PCOS Management Resources
MCHRI has developed and promoted several global PCOS management resources, including AskPCOS, a free women's health app with more than 75,000 users across 195 countries. In 2023, MCHRI also worked with 39 international organizations and more than 100 multidisciplinary experts to publish the evidence-based International Guideline for the Assessment and Management of PCOS.
Through collaboration with the Monash Women's Health Alliance (MWHA), the team is advancing research into women's health, including PCOS, with the goal of improving public health and clinical practice for women of all ages and gender-diverse people.
Source:
Collected online