Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Conference

Biography

Biography: Meaghan Ormsby

Abstract

“Traditional” interventions for elevated weight or health concerns, including PCOS, have focused on helping individuals achieve and maintain a target weight. This traditional model focuses on creating a negative caloric balance with the target outcome being weight loss. Alternatively, the nondiet approach focuses on reconnecting with physiological hunger and using hunger and fullness rather than calories or food lists to guide amounts of food eaten. The nondiet approach differs from the traditional model in that knowledge about food and nutrition is used to inform food choice rather than drive food choice. The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a difference in self-efficacy ratings among women with PCOS who rate themselves high on the Intuitive Eating (nondiet) scale compared to women with PCOS who rate themselves low on the Intuitive Eating Scale, using a 23-question survey, which was completed by 120 women with PCOS. The difference in self-efficacy ratings among women with PCOS who rate themselves high on the Intuitive Eating (nondiet) scale compared to women with PCOS who rate themselves low on the Intuitive Eating Scale was significant (p=0.007). These results are very informative as to how relevant the nutrition philosophy used in the delivery of nutrition education is. The results of this study showed that women with PCOS who eat more intuitively feel more confident about sustaining healthy habits than women with PCOS who eat less intuitively. This is an important advancement in the treatment of PCOS because a sustainable nutrition intervention has not been found.