Assessment of Nutrition Knowledge and Obesity in Females with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Lahore
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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder among women of reproductive age and is frequently accompanied by excess body weight, insulin resistance, and other metabolic disturbances. Nutrition knowledge may influence dietary behaviour and weight-management practices, but evidence regarding its relationship with obesity among females with PCOS in Pakistan remains limited. Objective: To assess nutrition knowledge and obesity among females with PCOS in Lahore and determine the association between total nutrition knowledge score and body mass index (BMI). Methods: A college-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 females with diagnosed PCOS at Superior University, Lahore. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire addressing demographic characteristics and nutrition knowledge together with anthropometric assessment of height, weight, and BMI. Continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviations, categorical variables using frequencies and percentages, the association between nutrition knowledge and BMI using Pearson correlation, and differences in nutrition knowledge across BMI categories using one-way analysis of variance. Results: Mean age was 24.64 ± 5.29 years, mean BMI was 24.62 ± 3.00 kg/m², and mean nutrition knowledge score was 13.90 ± 6.25 out of 23. Fifty-one percent of participants were classified as normal weight, 47% as overweight, and 2% as obese. Nutrition knowledge demonstrated a strong inverse correlation with BMI (r = -0.771, p < 0.001). Nutrition knowledge also differed significantly across BMI categories, with the highest scores among participants in the normal-weight category. Conclusion: Higher nutrition knowledge was strongly associated with lower BMI among females with PCOS. The findings support the relevance of nutrition education within comprehensive PCOS management but, owing to the cross-sectional design, do not establish a causal relationship
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