title: Study on the proportion and determinants of polycystic ovarian syndrome among health sciences students in South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) constitutes most cases of endocrine disorder among females.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to assess the proportion of university students with PCOS and to study its risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from students of a private medical, dental, and nursing college using a self-administered questionnaire. Height and weight of all participants were recorded by standard procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of students was 20.4 ΁ 1.5 years. Of the 480 participants, 39 (8.1%) were already diagnosed with PCOS. Out of the remaining 441 participants, 40 (9.1%) were at high risk, and 401 (90.9%) were at low risk for PCOS. Greater proportion of PCOS cases was seen in the age group 23-25 years (P = 0.026), among those with family history of PCOS (P = 0.002), among those who were permanent residents of urban areas (P = 0.048), and among those who were overweight or obese (P = 0.004). About 90% of PCOS cases and those at high risk for PCOS, each had difficulty in controlling excess weight or were experiencing difficulty in maintaining ideal weight. About 36 (92.3%) of PCOS cases and all those at high risk had emotional problems such as feeling moody or experiencing fatigability over the previous 2 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCOS is a common disorder among young women in this settings and this warrants periodic screening activities. A multidisciplinary approach is required to bring about lifestyle modification and help those with emotional problems due to this endocrine disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Aditya G R
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Joy
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vishakha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santhosh
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Shatarupa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Siddharth K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Reddy
keywords: Polycystic ovarian syndrome; risk factors; university students