Weight-related quality of life in obese, pregnant women in South Africa

Abstract

The global obesity pandemic includes pregnant women. Obesity may negatively impact quality of life (QOL). A validated, obesity-specific, QOL assessment tool was used to assess the impact of obesity on five specific domains. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed at Tygerberg Academic Hospital in South Africa. Morbid obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 40-49.9 kg/m 2 and super-obesity as BMI > 50 kg/m 2 , using the first recorded weight during the pregnancy. Pregnant women with a BMI ≥ 40 were approached in the high-risk antenatal clinic where written informed consent was taken before recruitment. Using the QOL tool they answered statements about their current experiences. Results: A total of 66 morbidly obese and 46 super-obese women were enrolled across an age range of 18-45 years. Physical function and self-esteem were the domains with the lowest QOL scores. When comparing morbid with super obesity, all scores were significantly lower in the latter group except for the domains of self-esteem and sexual life. Conclusion: Morbid and super-obesity occur across the full spectrum of the adult reproductive period. Physical function and self-esteem are most affected while QOL is linked to the degree of obesity.

Overweight and obesity in non-pregnant women of childbearing age in South Africa: subgroup regression analyses of survey data from 1998 to 2017

“…The significant contributions of overweight and obesity to maternal morbidity and mortality in South Africa have been documented. Obesity led to significant pregnancy complications, including hypertensive, pre-eclamptic and surgical complications [46], including lower quality of life and distress [47]. It is critical to understand the evolution in prevalence and related determinants of overweight and obesity over the last decades in the South African setting.…”