[kat note: This study finds that the USDA Pyramid diet was just as effective as a 'Zone-type' diet in this pcos test group. I haven't been able to locate the full text of the article, however, the researcher's email is included if you wish to write and request a pdf copy sent to you via email.]

"Dietary Composition in Restoring Reproductive and Metabolic Physiology in Overweight Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'

L. J. Moran, M. Noakes, P. M. Clifton, L. Tomlinson and R. J. Norman
Reproductive Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Adelaide, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (L.J.M., L.T., R.J.N.), Woodville, South Australia 5011, Australia; and CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition (L.J.M., M.N., P.M.C.), Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Ms. L. J. Moran, CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, P.O. Box 10041 BC, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia. E-mail: lisa.moran@csiro.au.

Overweight women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were randomized to a high protein (HP; 40% carbohydrate and 30% protein; n = 14) or a low protein (LP; 55% carbohydrate and 15% protein) diet (n = 14). The intervention consisted of 12 wk of energy restriction (6000 kJ/d), followed by 4 wk of weight maintenance. Pregnancies (two HP and one LP); improvements in menstrual cyclicity, lipid profile, and insulin resistance (as measured by the homeostasis model); and decreases in weight (7.5%) and abdominal fat (12.5%) occurred independently of diet composition. Improvements in menstrual cyclicity were associated with greater decreases in insulin resistance and fasting insulin (P = 0.011). On the LP diet, high density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased 10% during energy restriction (P = 0.008), and the free androgen index increased 44% in weight maintenance stages (P = 0.027). Weight loss leads to improvements in cardiovascular and reproductive parameters potentially mediated by improvements in surrogate measures of insulin resistance. An HP weight loss diet may result in minor differential endocrine and metabolic improvements.

This work was supported by an Adelaide University/CSIRO Collaborative Grant.