Research
Energy balance
Weight loss of 5-10% significantly improves reproductive outcomes (ovulation, menstrual regularity) and metabolic markers (insulin resistance, lipids) in women with PCOS, regardless of the specific dietary composition used to achieve the weight loss.
Aim for a 5-10% reduction in body weight through a moderate energy deficit (500-750 kcal/day). You do not need to follow a specific restrictive diet (like low-carb or low-fat) to see benefits; any dietary approach that helps you achieve this weight loss will improve insulin resistance, lipids, and reproductive health.
StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Weight loss improved the presentation of PCOS regardless of dietary composition, with no subtle differences observed for low CHO diets [16]
Why this rating
Supported by Cochrane reviews and multiple systematic reviews.
Source
Lifestyle management in polycystic ovary syndrome – beyond diet and physical activity
Stephanie Cowan et al. · BMC Endocrine Disorders · 2023
DOI 10.1186/s12902-022-01208-y
narrative_reviewCited 206×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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