Time-restricted Feeding for Treating Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular diet pattern of alternating eating and dieting.One particular form of intermittent fasting is the so-called time-restricted feeding (TRF). TRF allows for ad libitum feeding within a large window of time each day, and does not require any calorie counting. There is growing evidence that it can lose weight, reduce insulin resistance and improve cardiometabolic health. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common reproductive endocrine and metabolic disease affecting women of childbearing age. PCOS shows anovulation or oligoovulation, hyperandrogenemia and ovarian polycystic changes. Insulin resistance and obesity are common features of PCOS. Whether the TRF impacts women with PCOS is still unknown due to the paucity of data in this area. To explore the effects of TRF on the endocrine and metabolic profile in overweight women with PCOS, a 6-week single-arm trial, divided into 2 consecutive periods: (1) 1-week baseline period; and (2) 5-week TRF period, will be implemented.