Polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity: clinical aspects and nutritional management

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactorial endocrine and metabolic disorder characterized by androgen ex-cess, oligo-anovulatory infertility, polycystic ovaries in ultrasound examination, insulin resistance, and cardiometabolic disorders, with overweight/obesity and visceral adiposity. This review aims to provide an overview of the clinical charac-teristics and nutritional therapy of PCOS and obesity. The authors analyzed the updated and relevant publications found on PubMed about clinical aspects and nutritional management of PCOS and obesity in studies done in animal and human models. It is crucial an early detection and intervention in PCOS patients to avoid the more challenging control of the onset of more impaired-health conditions that this pathology causes. It is presented evidence that clearly shows the close interaction among oxidative stress, low-grade inflammation, and PCOS. It is also analyzed the relevance of treating meta-bolic and nutritional correlations of PCOS with a complete therapeutic strategy that includes individualized medication, diet, and healthy habits. By an integral approach and treatment that includes not only medications for PCOS symptoms, supplementation of minerals and vitamins to control PCOS complications but an anti-inflammatory diet, nutritional edu-cation, exercise individualized program, lifestyle changes, it is possible to improve insulin resistance, sustained weight loss, ovulation rates, among other goals for the management of this disease. Further studies are needed to clarify mecha-nisms, beneficial effects, and doses of supplements and precise medication to determine the best combination of diets and exercise programs according to these patients' specific requirements. (Cite this article as: Frias-Toral E, Garcia-Velasquez E, De los Angeles Carignano M, Rodriguez-Veintimilla D, Alvarado-Aguilera I, Bautista-Litardo N. Polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity: clinical aspects and nutritional management. Minerva Endocrinol 2022;47:215-41. DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6507.21.03349-6)