PhD Studentship: Examining The Benefits of Resistance Exercise to Ensure The Health, Fertility and Quality of Life of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PCOS affects 10-15% of reproductive aged women with a diagnosis made when presenting with two of the following: 1) hyperandrogenism, 2) ovulatory dysfunction and/or 3) cystic ovaries. The UK PCOS charity Verity estimates that over 2 million women have PCOS in the UK, so it is a highly prevalent endocrine disorder that leads to a myriad of physical and mental health related problems. PCOS is associated with increased visceral fat, obesity and insulin resistance, increasing the risk of reproductive and cardiometabolic complications. 

Excess weight is prevalent in 60% of women living with PCOS and cardiovascular disease risk is increased. Women also experience negative mental health due to fertility problems, androgenetic alopecia, weight-based stigma and concerns about their long-term health risks. There is no single definitive treatment, but exercise has a positive impact on women with PCOS with aerobic focused programmes improving blood lipid profile, insulin sensitivity, ovulation rates and aids weight loss. 

Our published scoping review of resistance exercise in women with PCOS makes it clear there is a lack of evidence to support its efficacy. This is due to the low numbers of RCTs that can be included in systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Project details

Research has predominantly examined aerobic training programmes with a recent systematic review only including three RCTs involving resistance training, which had small sample sizes and the interventions were not co-designed nor did they focus on behaviour change. We explored this specifically, highlighting a lack of robust evidence in publishing our own scoping review. This is alarming considering we have collected qualitative data highlighting that women with PCOS would like to undertake resistance training exercise.

The strategy to address the problem is to recruit a high performing PhD student to embark on a psycho-biological, mixed-methods programme of research that has the following aim:

Develop a feasible, acceptable, efficacious and effective resistance training programme for women living with PCOS to improve both physical and mental health, and fertility-related outcomes.

Benefits

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills. All researchers at Coventry University (from PhD to Professor) are part of the Researcher and Doctoral College and Centre for Research Capability and Development-quality training and career development activities.

Entry requirements

• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.

PLUS

• The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within 3.5 years.
• A minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS academic overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

How to apply

All applications require full supporting documentation, a covering letter, plus a 2,000 word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project.

Please contact Professor David Broom for informal enquiries.

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