Learning outcomes

Participants will leave feeling more confident in:

• explaining why weight loss can be particularly challenging in PCOS
• giving practical nutrition advice grounded in evidence
• identifying barriers such as poor sleep, stress and disordered eating patterns
• supporting sustainable behaviour change compassionately
• helping reduce long-term cardiometabolic risk

Optimising Weight Management in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS):

A Lifestyle Medicine Approach for Clinical Practice

An evidence-based, practical and engaging virtual workshop designed for NHS nurses and allied health professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of weight management in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), improve patient outcomes, and feel more confident delivering meaningful lifestyle support alongside medical care.

Women with PCOS are frequently advised to “lose weight,” yet many clinicians recognise that weight regulation in PCOS is far more complex than simple calorie balance, involving insulin resistance, hormonal dysregulation, appetite signalling, sleep disruption, chronic stress, inflammation and psychological burden. This workshop equips nurses with the knowledge and tools to support patients more effectively, compassionately and sustainably.

Workshop content

Understanding PCOS: beyond reproductive symptoms

A concise clinical overview of PCOS, including diagnostic criteria in adults and teenagers, prevalence, the four phenotypes, and the metabolic and hormonal mechanisms that contribute to weight gain, central adiposity and difficulty losing weight.

Why weight management is uniquely challenging in PCOS, even in those with lean PCOS

An exploration of the key drivers of weight gain and weight resistance in PCOS, including:

• insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia
• appetite dysregulation and cravings
• chronic low-grade inflammation
• poor sleep and circadian disruption
• elevated stress hormones
• body image concerns around acne and excess hair growth
• the impact of weight stigma
• the under-recognised impact of disordered eating patterns such as binge-eating in PCOS

Evidence-based nutrition strategies for sustainable fat loss and metabolic health

Practical dietary approaches clinicians can confidently discuss with patients, including:

• improving insulin sensitivity through dietary pattern changes
• optimising protein and fibre intake for satiety
• meal timing and blood glucose regulation
• addressing ultra-processed food intake and cravings
• the role of nutrition in improving fertility outcomes in PCOS
• nutritional considerations for lean PCOS versus overweight/obese phenotypes
• realistic strategies that move beyond restrictive dieting
• nutritional approach when taking metformin/ GLP-1s etc.
• the role of supplements such as vitamin D

Lifestyle medicine pillars that influence body weight

Understanding the role of:

• resistance training for body composition and insulin sensitivity
• physical activity beyond exercise (NEAT)
• sleep optimisation
• stress management and nervous system regulation
• habit formation and behavioural change
• creating realistic, sustainable patient goals Compassionate weight conversations in practice
• How to support women with PCOS without shame, oversimplification or unrealistic
• expectations, while recognising emotional eating, binge eating tendencies, perfectionism, and weight cycling.

Integrating lifestyle medicine with conventional care

How evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle interventions can complement standard treatment pathways, including pharmacotherapy where appropriate, to improve long-term outcomes.

Prevention of long-term complications

Reducing risk of:

• type 2 diabetes
• gestational diabetes
• non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• cardiovascular disease
• subfertility
• depression and reduced quality of life