Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is thought to be the most common endocrine disorder found in women. Common symptoms include irregular menstrual cycle, polycystic ovaries, and hirsutism, as well as an increased risk for a multitude of conditions, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and infertility. The prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome is generally thought to be between 3% and 10% but it is widely unknown for specific subpopulations based on geographical location and race/ethnicity. Based on the high degree of variability and inconsistencies between the different diagnostic criteria, there is a unique challenge that exists when determining the prevalence of this syndrome. There are a large percentage of individuals that remain undiagnosed even after visiting multiple health care providers. Most studies conducted across the world are limited by small sample size, selection bias, and lack of comparability across studies. There have been very few studies that have examined the prevalence of polycystic ovary syndrome across the United States. Based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s diagnostic criteria, there is a similar prevalence of PCOS documented across the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Australia, and Mexico. Other studies have shown some differences between geographical location and race. The existing data is not conclusive enough to determine whether or not there is any significant differences in the prevalence of PCOS across geographical location, racial or ethnic groups. This review will seek to determine the prevalence of polycystic ovarian syndrome based on geographical location and race/ethnicity.

Young adults in Appalachia may face poor nutritional status due to low access to healthy food and high mental health symptoms attributed to high stress and the college environment. A cross-sectional design was used to investigate the relationship between diet intake and mental health status of this population via surveys. Participant responses (n = 1956) showed students’ mean number of depressed days over the past 30 days was 9.67 ± 8.80, and of anxious days, 14.1 ± 10.03. The mean fruit and vegetable intake was 1.80 ± 1.27 times per day and the mean added sugars intake was 1.79 ± 1.26 times per day. 36.7% of students were found to be food insecure. One-way ANOVA and Chi-Squared analyses were used to determine relationship between variables. Significant variables were placed into a full logistic regression model. Food insecurity and fruit and vegetable intake remained significant predictors of depression in males (odds ratio (OR) = 2.33 95% CI 1.47–3.71 and OR = 68 95% CI 50–89, respectively) and in females food insecurity remained a significant predictor of depression (OR = 2.26 95% CI 1.67–3.07). Food insecurity and added sugars intake were significant predictor of anxiety in males (OR = 2.33 95% CI 1.47–3.71 and OR = 1.09 95% CI 0.91–1.3, respectively) and for anxiety in females, added sugars intake and food insecurity were significant predictors (OR = 1.18 95% CI 1.05–1.32 and OR = 1.65 95% CI 1.27–2.16, respectively). Improving college student’s diet intake through increased access to healthy foods could improve the mental health and well-being of students.

Purpose of Review Worldwide, diabetes has increased steadily and in recent years, drastically. The majority of diabetes cases are type 2 (T2DM), caused by modifiable risk factors such as diet. Vegetarian diets have been studied over the past few decades for their preventative and therapeutic effects on diabetes and may be more beneficial than medication for diabetes management. Recent Findings A vegetarian diet characterized by whole plant foods is most beneficial for diabetes prevention and management. Summary Vegetarian diets are inversely associated with risk of developing diabetes independent of the positive association of meat consumption with diabetes development. Vegetarian diets range from vegan (no animal products), lacto-ovo-vegetarian (no animal meat, but consumes milk and eggs), pesco-vegetarian (consumes fish), and semi-vegetarian (occasional meat consumption). There has been an observed difference in the extent of preventative and therapeutic effects of these different types of diets. The most important aspect of any of these types of diets is emphasizing whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts and reducing saturated and trans fats.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), with common symptoms of irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian cysts, and hirsutism, is thought to be the most common endocrine disorder found in women, and use of multidisciplinary teams has been shown to be effective. The purpose of this review is to determine the future need for specialized, comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment for PCOS and the current description and efficacy of existing multidisciplinary clinics. The literature was searched using PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Medline, and the Cochrane Library. Keywords included treatment efficacy, polycystic ovary syndrome, treatment and collaboration. Results showed that while an increasing number of studies continue to come out expressing the need for multidisciplinary approaches to and clinics for the treatment of PCOS, there is still a large gap in the literature documenting actual multidisciplinary PCOS treatment facilities. The limited literature documenting the efficacy of multidisciplinary PCOS clinic have demonstrated increased weight loss, high patient satisfaction, and high retention compared to single-care providers. Data showed that these teams are most commonly made up of a combination of endocrinologists, psychologists, dietitians, gynecologists, and endocrine-specialized nurses. Data showed that there is a high degree of variability and rates of diagnosis between types of single-care providers, such as: endocrinology, dermatology, gynecology, and fertility. Individuals with PCOS are in need for specialized, individualized, and focused care from a diverse team of healthcare providers to treat PCOS comprehensively.

Purpose: There is little investigation into the causes of food addiction. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of early life influences on the development of food addiction in college-attending young adults aged 18–29. Methods: This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design. College-attending young adults were invited to complete an online survey measuring Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), food addiction, depression, anxiety, stress, and demographic information. Correlations between food addiction and the other variables were analyzed and significant variables were placed into a nominal logistic regression model to predict the development of food addiction. Participants who met the criteria for food addiction were invited to participate in interviews to examine their childhood eating environment and when their symptoms emerged. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Quantitative analysis was conducted using JMP Pro Version 16.0 and qualitative analysis was conducted using NVIVO Software Version 12.0. Results: Survey respondents (n = 1645) had an overall 21.9% prevalence of food addiction. Significant correlations were observed between food addiction and ACEs, depression, anxiety, stress, and sex (p < .01 for all). Depression was the only significant predictor of the development of food addiction (OR = 3.33 95% CI 2.19, 5.05). The most common eating environment described by interview participants (n = 36) was an emphasis on diet culture, ideal body image, and restrictive environments. Symptoms frequently emerged after transitioning into college and having the ability to make their own food choices. Conclusion: These results show the impact of early life eating environments and young adulthood mental health on the development of food addiction. These findings contribute to the understanding of underlying causes of food addiction. Level of evidence: Level V, Opinions of authorities, based on descriptive studies, narrative reviews, clinical experience, or reports of expert committees.