Unhealthy diets, inactivity affect women’s reproductive health: Doctors

Srinagar, Nov 11: Changing food habits, lack of physical activity and rising obesity are increasingly affecting reproductive health among women in Kashmir, with doctors warning that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD) are emerging as important contributors to infertility.
Health experts say that while infertility can result from several medical and biological factors, lifestyle-related problems, particularly unhealthy diets and sedentary routines, are playing a significant role in the growing burden of hormonal disorders among women of reproductive age.
Dr Rehana Akhter, a gynaecologist at the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir, said PCOS has become one of the commonly encountered hormonal disorders among women, with obesity, unhealthy eating patterns and physical inactivity contributing to its growing prevalence.
She said excessive consumption of junk food, processed items and calorie-rich diets, coupled with limited exercise, can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, which may aggravate hormonal imbalances associated with PCOS.
“Food habits and physical activity have a direct bearing on women’s hormonal health. A diet dominated by junk food, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, can contribute to obesity and insulin resistance. These factors can disturb hormonal balance and affect the regular release of eggs from the ovaries,” she said.
Explaining the link between PCOS and infertility, Dr Akhter said the condition often interferes with normal ovulation, making conception difficult. “In women suffering from PCOS, hormonal disturbances can prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs regularly. Sometimes ovulation becomes irregular or stops altogether, which reduces the chances of pregnancy,” she said.
According to the doctor, dietary changes and physical activity should form an important part of managing the condition, advising women to adopt balanced eating habits and maintain a healthy body weight. “Regular exercise, even in the form of daily walking, along with proper nutrition and weight control, can help improve insulin sensitivity and hormonal balance,” she added.
Dr Akhter also pointed towards delayed marriages as another factor affecting fertility, saying reproductive potential naturally declines with advancing age, with many women now entering marriage in their late twenties or early thirties.
Another gynaecologist, Dr Masarat Jan, said pelvic inflammatory disease, often associated with sexually transmitted infections, can also lead to infertility if not diagnosed and treated in time.
She said unsafe abortions and procedures performed by untrained persons at unregistered facilities can cause serious infections and damage to the reproductive system. “Septic abortions can result in severe infections of the reproductive tract and, in some cases, cause complications that may permanently affect a woman’s ability to conceive,” she said, stressing awareness about contraception and reliable reproductive health information.
Doctors said the changing lifestyle among young people — prolonged sitting, reduced outdoor activity, irregular eating patterns, fast food, stress and inadequate sleep — is creating additional challenges. A healthy diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and adequate protein, along with regular physical activity, can help maintain a healthy weight and reduce metabolic problems associated with PCOS.
Experts cautioned that infertility should not be attributed to lifestyle or PCOS alone, as it can affect both men and women and may have multiple causes, stressing timely medical evaluation rather than self-medication.
According to NFHS-6, Jammu and Kashmir recorded a total fertility rate of 1.6 children per woman, among the lowest in the country. (KNO)