Effect of a Low-Starch/Low-Dairy Diet on Fat Oxidation in Overweight and Obese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Nine years ago, a study involving 10 overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) found that an 8-week low-starch/low-dairy diet resulted in significant weight loss, decreased body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences, fat mass, fasting insulin, and total testosterone levels. The diet also led to increased fat oxidation, both fasting and postprandial, and decreased carbohydrate oxidation, after adjusting for body weight. However, the study, which had limitations such as a small sample size and lack of a control group, suggested that it was difficult to separate the effects of the diet from those of weight loss on metabolic outcomes. The researchers concluded that the low-starch/low-dairy diet could be a therapeutic option for women with PCOS, potentially aiding in weight loss and improving metabolic flexibility, but emphasized the need for further research to explore the long-term sustainability of this dietary approach and to determine whether the metabolic improvements were due to reduced serum insulin levels independent of weight loss.