Does PCOS cause obesity, or does obesity cause PCOS?
In some ways, this question is akin to asking, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” since it isn’t completely understood, but it appears more likely that PCOS comes first. Symptoms of PCOS may be lessened by weight loss, or increased by weight gain, but the syndrome is not caused by weight or body mass but it is definitely aggravated by it. There are lean women with PCOS. The insulin resistance that is common to PCOS may play a role in weight gain and the difficulty in losing any extra weight.
In some ways, this question is akin to asking, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” since it isn’t completely understood, but it appears more likely that PCOS comes first. Symptoms of PCOS may be lessened by weight loss, or increased by weight gain, but the syndrome is not caused by weight or body mass. There are lean women with PCOS. The insulin resistance that is common to PCOS may play a role in weight gain and the difficulty in losing any extra weight.