Health-related quality of life in obese youth in the lower Mississippi Delta

Abstract

Objective: Adults and children in rural settings are at greater risk for overweight and obesity than those in urban settings. Multiple studies have suggested that quality of life is lower for obese individuals. This study addresses the association of obesity with health-related Quality of Life (QOL) among youth in the rural Mississippi Delta. Methods: QOL data on children aged 3 -17 years using the PedsQL were collected as part of a cross-sectional telephone survey in the Delta. Weight was grouped by AAP categorizations as underweight, normal, overweight (85 -95th BMI percentile), obese (95 -97th percentile), and extremely obese (>97th percentile). Results: 437 youth participated. Multiple linear regression models were used to predict PedsQL component scores. Results showed main effects for age (p = 0.006), race (p < 0.001), and BMI group (p = 0.049) on psychosocial QOL. Older children ages 9 -17, white and black children, and obese or extremely obese children scored lower on psychosocial QOL than younger children, other race, and non-obese. A strong age by weight group interaction (p = 0.014) showed that obesity and extreme obesity was associated with lower scores on psychosocial QOL only for older children ages 12 -17. Conclusions: Investigating the QOL in this rural community where the majority of adults and children are obese aids in our understanding the relationship between sociocultural factors and HRQOL. In the context of an obese majority obesity and extreme obesity remain important contributions to reduced psychosocial (emotional, social, school performance) quality of life for adolescents but not for younger children).

Quality of Life among Obese preadolescent School Age Children (11-14 years)

“…Health related quality of life (HRQoL) has been shown different types of impairments in relation to obesity, especially psychosocial, physical and social functioning domains being mostly affected in obese children with reduced health related quality of life (HRQoL). (21) Since childhood obesity can lead to such problems, efforts to examine Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of obese children have been increased. (22) Obese children reported poorer quality of life not only in total scale score, but also in all dimensions of physical, emotional, social, school functioning domains which suggest that obesity has a negative impact on the children's daily life.…”