Under the criteria of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PCOS was defined as the presence of oligoovulation/anovulation and clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism, not explained by other causes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is 10 times higher in patients with PCOS, which represents a public health problem and an opportunity for early intervention. Long-term monitoring of women with PCOS revealed that 40% of those affected develop type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance at the age of 40 8. In other words, obesity seems to unmask young people who were otherwise asymptomatic and are now presenting with symptoms of androgen excess and anovulation. 1 Increase in childhood obesity worsens the symptoms of PCOS in adolescence, although it is unlikely that it increases the prevalence of this syndrome.
On the other hand, weight loss is associated with a decrease in testosterone. In adolescents, as in adult women, there is a positive association between body mass index (BMI) and androgen levels. 4 There is strong evidence that obesity increases severity of clinical manifestations of PCOS and the risk of metabolic dysfunction. Although obesity is not a feature of the syndrome, it affects the degree of insulin resistance, worsening metabolic and reproductive characteristics. Increasing prevalence of obesity in adolescence has generated a growing concern with the increase of PCOS at this age. On the other hand, diagnosis of PCOS has long term implications with increased risk of infertility, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. The identification of each of these complaints is a challenge in adolescence. It should be considered in any adolescent with hirsutism, persistent acne, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and/or obesity. 2 Although it was traditionally thought to be a problem of adulthood, it is now known that its onset takes place in childhood. 1 In addition, it is the most common hormonal disorder in obesity and one of the most common causes of infertility in women. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of menstrual irregularities and hyperandrogenism in adolescents.
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