Association between self-reported sedentary behavior and health-related quality of life among infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome

BackgroundHigh sedentary behavior and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were common among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, the association of sedentary behavior with HRQoL among infertile women with PCOS is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association of sedentary behavior with HRQoL among them.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 283 participants recruited from infertility outpatient clinic. A self-administered, structured questionnaire including the modified PCOS health-related QoL questionnaire (MPCOSQ), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form (IPAQ-SF), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) was used. Anthropometric and laboratory indictors related to PCOS were also collected. Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify the associations. Bonferroni correction was utilized for multiple testing correction.ResultsSedentary behavior was associated with reduced HRQoL among this group. Specifically, over seven hours per day of sedentary behavior was strongly associated with total and several aspects of HRQoL (beta ranged from - 0.378 to - 0.141, all P < 0.0063) after adjusting for physical activity, anxiety and depression. In addition, elevated BMI (beta = - 0.407, P < 0.001) and anxiety (beta ranged from - 0.410 to - 0.245, all P < 0.0063) were associated with poor HRQoL, while physical activity and depression were not.ConclusionSedentary behavior is an important behavior among infertile women with PCOS as it was associated with poorer HRQoL. Future interventions seeking to improve HRQoL should be considered to reduce sedentary behavior and psychological burden as primary intervention targets.