Abstract

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an anovulatory disorder characterized by insulin resistance and endocrine dysfunction. Infertility and abnormal weight gain in women of childbearing age are often a result of PCOS, impacting quality of life and posing potential longterm health sequelae. Prescribing weight loss has been adopted by clinicians as an effective intervention to improve insulin resistance. For some patients, this practice has led to the negative effects of weight cycling and disordered eating attitudes which can result in long term adverse cardiometabolic outcomes. A quasi-experimental pre-and-post-test study was conducted to evaluate how a nonweight centered program influences eating attitudes in patients with PCOS. Four individuals assigned female at birth (AFAB) between ages 31-40 with a known diagnosis of PCOS enrolled in a pilot program that consisted of six bi-weekly visits with a dietician, food logging, and participation in a private online support group. Participants completed the Disordered Eating Attitudes Scale (DEAS) assessment before and after completing the program. Waist circumference was measured at visits one, three, and six. The support group activity was tracked based on the participants' ability to interact three times weekly. DEAS scores decreased for 75% of the sample with an average reduction of 13 points. All participants experienced at minimum a one-inch reduction in waist circumference with an average decrease of 2.5 inches. Fifty percent of the sample made nutrient rich (green) food choices less than 50% of the time at baseline (visit two). By visit five, 100% of the sample made green food choices greater than 50% of the time. Majority of participants completed support group interaction only two out of ten weeks. The relationship between group support and eating attitudes remains unclear. Results suggest that a non-weight centered approach to modifying eating attitudes in clients with PCOS may be effective in helping patients achieve more sustainable lifestyle changes. Further research is indicated to explore the impact of non-weight centered approaches for the management of PCOS symptoms and reducing risk of long term sequelae.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 31147623; ProQuest document ID: 3050736717. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Jo'Quishia A. Lethermon, DNP

Sigma Membership

Tau

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Quasi-Experimental Study, Other

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Disordered Eating Attitudes Scale, Fertility, Weight Cycling, Food Choices, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Advisors

Dole, Deobra

Degree

DNP

Degree Grantor

Georgetown University

Degree Year

2024

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2024-05-30

Full Text of Presentation

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