The Impact of Low-Calorie Dietary Patterns on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Insulin Resistance
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The Impact of Low-Calorie Dietary Patterns on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Insulin Resistance

Jingwen Sun 1*
1 Nanjing Medical University
*Corresponding author: sjw713@stu.njmu.edu.cn
Published on 13 August 2025
Journal Cover
TNS Vol.122
ISSN (Print): 2753-8826
ISSN (Online): 2753-8818
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-269-0
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-270-6
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Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by insulin resistance (IR), affecting 5.61% of reproductive-aged women in China, with over half exhibiting IR. Current treatments focus on individualized management, but optimal therapeutic strategies remain unclear. This article further analyzes the therapeutic effects and impact of low-calorie dietary patterns (LCDs) as adjuvant therapy for PCOS with IR. The findings demonstrate that LCDs exemplified by intermittent fasting (IF) and ketogenic diets (KD) significantly enhance weight management outcomes. By reducing caloric intake and optimizing metabolic status, these dietary approaches improve IR-related parameters, effectively reduce BMI, and increase insulin sensitivity, establishing their value as adjunct strategies within the integrated management of PCOS with IR. However, current applications of LCDs as adjuvant therapy still present limitations and challenges, including compromised patient compliance and a lack of longitudinal data on long-term efficacy. To address these challenges, future research should launch rigorous large-scale longitudinal studies to explore synergistic mechanisms combining LCDs with psychological interventions, with the goal of improving treatment adherence.

Keywords:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), Insulin Resistance (IR), Low-Calorie Diet (LCD), Intermittent Fasting, Ketogenic Diet.

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Sun,J. (2025). The Impact of Low-Calorie Dietary Patterns on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Insulin Resistance. Theoretical and Natural Science,122,6-12.

References

[1]. Ni, Q. (2025). Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome based on integration of disease and syndrome. Chinese Journal of General Medicine, 23(05), 726–736.

[2]. Ding, L., & Tian, Q. J. (2025). Interpretation of the “Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance.” Chinese New Clinical Medicine, 18(05), 481–485.

[3]. Qi, J., Sun, Y., & Chen, Z. J. (2018). Molecular mechanism and biological effects of endometrial insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome. Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception, 38, 513–516.

[4]. Chen, H. J., Wu, L. X., Jiang, H. Y., et al. (2023). Effects of nutritional intervention on androgen and insulin resistance in overweight and obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. China Food and Nutrition, 29(10), 81–84.

[5]. Teede, H. J., Misso, M. L., Costello, M. F., Dokras, A., Laven, J., Moran, L., Piltonen, T., & Norman, R. J.; International PCOS Network. (2018). Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction, 33(9), 1602–1618.

[6]. Ogawa, W., Arakawa, E., Ishigaki, Y., et al. (2022). New classification and diagnostic criteria for insulin resistance syndrome. Diabetology International, 13, 337–343.

[7]. Chinese Diabetes Society. (2022). Expert consensus on clinical issues related to insulin resistance (2022 edition). Chinese Journal of Diabetes, 14, 1368–1379.

[8]. Calcaterra, V., Magenes, V. C., Massini, G., De Sanctis, L., Fabiano, V., & Zuccotti, G. (2024). High fat diet and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescence: An overview of nutritional strategies. Nutrients, 16(7), 938.

[9]. De Cabo, R., & Mattson, M. P. (2019). Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381(26), 2541–2551.

[10]. Carling, D. A. M. (2017). PK signalling in health and disease. Current Opinion in Cell Biology, 45, 31–37.

[11]. Jeon, S. M. (2016). Regulation and function of AMPK in physiology and diseases. Experimental & Molecular Medicine, 48(7), e245.

[12]. Imai, S. I., & Guarente, L. (2016). It takes two to tango: NAD+ and sirtuins in aging/longevity control. NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, 2, 16017.

[13]. Lee, H. C. (2001). Physiological functions of cyclic ADP-ribose and NAADP as calcium messengers. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 41, 317–345.

[14]. Trimboli, P., Castellana, M., Bellido, D., et al. (2020). Confusion in the nomenclature of ketogenic diets blurs evidence. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 21(1), 1–3.

[15]. Barrea, L., Verde, L., Camajani, E., Cernea, S., Frias-Toral, E., Lamabadusuriya, D., Ceriani, F., Savastano, S., Colao, A., & Muscogiuri, G. (2023). Correction: Ketogenic diet as medical prescription in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Current Nutrition Reports, 12, 65.

[16]. Mei, S., Ding, J., Wang, K., Ni, Z., & Yu, J. (2022). Mediterranean diet combined with a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern in the treatment of overweight polycystic ovary syndrome patients. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 876620.

[17]. Mavropoulos, J. C., Yancy, W. S., Hepburn, J., et al. (2005). The effects of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet on the polycystic ovary syndrome: A pilot study. Nutrition & Metabolism (London), 2, 35.

[18]. Paoli, A. (2014). Ketogenic diet for obesity: Friend or foe? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11, 2092–2107.

References

[1]. Ni, Q. (2025). Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome based on integration of disease and syndrome. Chinese Journal of General Medicine, 23(05), 726–736.

[2]. Ding, L., & Tian, Q. J. (2025). Interpretation of the “Expert consensus on diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome with insulin resistance.” Chinese New Clinical Medicine, 18(05), 481–485.

[3]. Qi, J., Sun, Y., & Chen, Z. J. (2018). Molecular mechanism and biological effects of endometrial insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome. Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception, 38, 513–516.

[4]. Chen, H. J., Wu, L. X., Jiang, H. Y., et al. (2023). Effects of nutritional intervention on androgen and insulin resistance in overweight and obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. China Food and Nutrition, 29(10), 81–84.

[5]. Teede, H. J., Misso, M. L., Costello, M. F., Dokras, A., Laven, J., Moran, L., Piltonen, T., & Norman, R. J.; International PCOS Network. (2018). Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome. Human Reproduction, 33(9), 1602–1618.

[6]. Ogawa, W., Arakawa, E., Ishigaki, Y., et al. (2022). New classification and diagnostic criteria for insulin resistance syndrome. Diabetology International, 13, 337–343.

[7]. Chinese Diabetes Society. (2022). Expert consensus on clinical issues related to insulin resistance (2022 edition). Chinese Journal of Diabetes, 14, 1368–1379.

[8]. Calcaterra, V., Magenes, V. C., Massini, G., De Sanctis, L., Fabiano, V., & Zuccotti, G. (2024). High fat diet and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in adolescence: An overview of nutritional strategies. Nutrients, 16(7), 938.

[9]. De Cabo, R., & Mattson, M. P. (2019). Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381(26), 2541–2551.

[10]. Carling, D. A. M. (2017). PK signalling in health and disease. Current Opinion in Cell Biology, 45, 31–37.

[11]. Jeon, S. M. (2016). Regulation and function of AMPK in physiology and diseases. Experimental & Molecular Medicine, 48(7), e245.

[12]. Imai, S. I., & Guarente, L. (2016). It takes two to tango: NAD+ and sirtuins in aging/longevity control. NPJ Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, 2, 16017.

[13]. Lee, H. C. (2001). Physiological functions of cyclic ADP-ribose and NAADP as calcium messengers. Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 41, 317–345.

[14]. Trimboli, P., Castellana, M., Bellido, D., et al. (2020). Confusion in the nomenclature of ketogenic diets blurs evidence. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, 21(1), 1–3.

[15]. Barrea, L., Verde, L., Camajani, E., Cernea, S., Frias-Toral, E., Lamabadusuriya, D., Ceriani, F., Savastano, S., Colao, A., & Muscogiuri, G. (2023). Correction: Ketogenic diet as medical prescription in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Current Nutrition Reports, 12, 65.

[16]. Mei, S., Ding, J., Wang, K., Ni, Z., & Yu, J. (2022). Mediterranean diet combined with a low-carbohydrate dietary pattern in the treatment of overweight polycystic ovary syndrome patients. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 876620.

[17]. Mavropoulos, J. C., Yancy, W. S., Hepburn, J., et al. (2005). The effects of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet on the polycystic ovary syndrome: A pilot study. Nutrition & Metabolism (London), 2, 35.

[18]. Paoli, A. (2014). Ketogenic diet for obesity: Friend or foe? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11, 2092–2107.

Cite this article

Sun,J. (2025). The Impact of Low-Calorie Dietary Patterns on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Insulin Resistance. Theoretical and Natural Science,122,6-12.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of ICBioMed 2025 Symposium: Computational Modelling and Simulation for Biology and Medicine

ISBN: 978-1-80590-269-0(Print) / 978-1-80590-270-6(Online)
Editor: Alan Wang, Roman Bauer
Conference website: https://2025.icbiomed.org/london.html
Conference date: 19 September 2025
Series: Theoretical and Natural Science
Volume number: Vol.122
ISSN: 2753-8818(Print) / 2753-8826(Online)

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