The PCOS belly - is it real?
The PCOS belly - is it real?
Is the PCOS belly a real thing?
Happy Sunday everyone,
How was your week?
Happy Halloween! đ
This week, I want to discuss the famous âPCOS Bellyâ - scary topic đ». It seems to have caught the attention of a lot of social media influencers, so I wanted to see if itâs a true thing that happens to women with PCOS.
This weekâs questions
Is the âPCOS bellyâ a real thing?
In short, no, there is no such thing as the PCOS belly. Another social media fabricated a trend to upsell weight loss fad diets đ.
In this newsletter:
What is the PCOS Belly?
Do women with PCOS have higher levels of visceral fat?
Is the âPCOS bellyâ a real thing?
The PCOS belly refers to the accumulation of fat around the abdominal area. This has become a topic of discussion due to the difference between subcutaneous fat and visceral fat.
Subcutaneous fat is the layer of fat that sits under your skin and, within limits, is unharmful. Visceral fat is belly fat found deep within your abdominal cavity. It surrounds essential organs, including your stomach, liver and intestines. Higher visceral fat levels correlate with higher levels of insulin resistance and inflammation. This is because these visceral fat cells can act as an organ itself and release inflammatory markers.
The PCOS Belly is a concern as it can signal higher visceral fat levels.
But do women with PCOS have higher levels of visceral fat?
Not quite. Itâs hard to measure visceral fat accurately without imaging tests (MRI or CT), so many research papers used waist circumference. Research shows that women with a waist circumference > 88cm (34 inches) are at higher risk of metabolic complications.
A previous meta-analysis showed that women with PCOS had a higher prevalence of central obesity, according to waist circumference. However, when a meta-analysis looked at the MRI and CT imaging of women with PCOS vs women without PCOS, there was no difference in fat distribution.
So, is the âPCOS bellyâ a real thing?
No, this means that there is no such thing as a specific âPCOS Bellyâ. The same is seen in women without PCOS. The fat accumulation is down to weight. This doesnât mean we donât need to worry about visceral fat, but itâs not specific to PCOS. If you want to revise the relationship between PCOS and weight, please read this newsletter.
I hope this shines some light on this hurtful industry. Trends like this make me think there is something wrong with me. This marketing tactic makes you feel like there is a problem specific to you that no one has the answer to, apart from the ones creating it and their products. Please be wary of these and try understanding the research behind every claim.
See you next Sunday,
Francesca
1 Sources
Carmina, E., Bucchieri, S., Esposito, A., Del Puente, A., Mansueto, P., Orio, F., Di Fede, G., & Rini, G. (2007). Abdominal fat quantity and distribution in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and extent of its relation to insulin resistance. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 92(7), 2500â2505. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-2725
Zhu, S., Li, Z., Hu, C., Sun, F., Wang, C., Yuan, H., & Li, Y. (2021). Imaging-based body fat distribution in polycystic ovary syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 12, 697223. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.697223
Disclaimer: We are all unique in our ways, so this information is for educational purposes only. In my communications, I summarise research data and bring my experience. This shouldnât be viewed as medical advice at any point. Please further consult your healthcare provider about your health needs.