PCOS and fast food?

Thorne · 10-09-2004, 02:04 PM

I have kind of a chicken or the egg type of question here. I was watching supersize me last night, and in the documentary, he was listing off all the different things that are caused by obesity, and one of the things on the list was PCOS. Is PCOS caused by obesity, or it is something that is there first and causes obesity, or is it unrelated? I'm so confused. Any answers would be appreciated. Thank you!

SouthernComfort · 10-09-2004, 02:12 PM

WEll all I know is that I used to weight 145 pounds and then all of a sudden I ballooned up to 208 within a year! So, in my opinion, PCOS caused all of my problems!

vancouverNicole · 10-09-2004, 03:52 PM

i think because hormones in general are so complicated, that everyone's reasons for pcos may be different.. as far as what came 1st, the weight or the symptoms. since i've lost some weight my periouds look like they have straightened out, but i still have the hair issue. But I can definatly see how changeing my diet has helped with the weight etc. that's just me though..

super size me was an excellent movie!

starfish44 · 10-11-2004, 12:34 AM

My weight started yoyoing just before I was diagnosed PCOS, so after I had it (actually the weight gain was part of why I went to the dr.). However, when I was younger I became very overweight (about 200 lbs) after an injury that impeded my fitness level, then lost the weight (back down to my healthy weight of 150). But I suppose it's possible that I actually got PCOS while overweight, so maybe obesity was the cause... hmmm.

Pale Pink Aura · 10-11-2004, 09:42 AM

PCOS causes obesity. I've never been obese, or even overweight according to the charts, but I have PCOS (with severe signs) and in the last two years have struggled to STAY normal weight. Anyone who tries to say that obesity causes PCOS is full of *#$@ IMO.

snowbunny · 10-11-2004, 01:13 PM

This is EXACTLY the problem: misinformation.

I HATE that that movie listed PCOS as one of the illnesses caused by obesity. That misinforms the public about our condition.

I suffered from years of hirsutism, mood swings, ammenohrea and other symptoms of PCOS before finally gaining 30 lbs in ten weeks (no change to diet or exercise) and then having my concerns addressed. I know that this is the case for many women who suffer from this condition.

PLUS, a statement like that disenfranchises the many women who suffer from this condition WITHOUT the side-effect of being overweight/obese.

Check out this thread about the same topic on the RANT board, more info and lots of stories:http://www.soulcysters.net/showthrea...threadid=99661

guineapig · 10-11-2004, 01:42 PM

I was a USA size 6 when my PCOS started (first manifested as fatigue after depo). I had never been overweight in my whole life. So PCOS=caused by obesity, no. Does everyone with obesity have PCOS? No. However, obesity does tend to produce more estrogen (more fat to produce it) and excess estrogen can lead to other hormonal problems. Obesity also tends to have a hand in type 2 diabetes, but they are NOT a direct 100% relation. I get REALLY mad when the media tries to put diabetes as only on obese people. Not even! Anyone can get diabetes. And IMO anyone could develop PCOS. And IMO weight loss is not an insto-cure for PCOS or diabetes, either, although it *may* help.

missysu74 · 10-11-2004, 08:15 PM

In my case, I had always had very irregular periods,& slight upper lip hair, but was a decent weight. When I turned 18, I gained out of control! I went from a size 7 to a 12 in two months despite trying to STARVE myself.
BTW, I about snapped on my sister's DR when the misinformed moron tried to say sis's PCOS was caused by weight! It's like telling a PCOS woman that she did it to herself! Ticks me off!!!!!!grumle......grumble........grumble....... ..

bree_da_star · 10-11-2004, 10:15 PM

Well, I am obese, and I was just diagnosed w/ pcos. I had exercised and maintained a "normal" diet my entire life up until now. I started having my periods when I was very young, 10 or so. I had always been a "chubby" kid, maybe 30 pounds overweight. When I started being extremely active, 5 or so hours of exercise a day, when i was 12, right after my first period, the doctor figured I would loose all of my "baby fat". Instead of loosing, I gained a whole lot. Probably 60 pounds in one year. My doctor was astonished. He yelled at me, and told me if I was actcually doing all of this exercise, which I was, I must had been eating everything in sight, which I didn't do. I continued to stay very active for three years, and I kept gaining. Although, when I began highschool, I was too heavy to participate in my favorite sports. Cheerleading and Basketball. When not on a low carb diet, I tend to gain 20 pounds every two weeks. Now, I am on met, and a low carb diet and I am down 21 pounds! Waiting for my period. I believe, I know, that PCOS is associated with a hormone that causes tendencies of obesity. My family although, has a background of slight obesity, so I believe with that and PCOS, it just messed up my whole system.
Obesity alone doesn't cause PCOS, and PCOS alone doesn't cause obesity. It does, however, increase your chances of both syndromes.
Being obese, I know the sterotypes, and the assumsions. SP... Society wants to act like that all obese people do is sit around, and munch on cheetos their whole life. Ughhh! That remark that guy made, made me so mad!! I noticed it as well when watching!