Obesity and quality of life: a controlled study of normal-weight and obese individuals.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is a major public health problem that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.


OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated the associations between health-related quality of life (HRQL) and Body Mass Index (BMI), gender, age, mental and somatic disorders, as well as therapy-seeking status.


METHODS
A cross-sectional controlled study assessed 640 male and female individuals, clustered into four weight categories.


RESULTS
Linear-regression analyses revealed that higher BMI, higher age, and higher numbers of current somatic and mental disorders negatively predicted the physical dimension of HRQL. Higher numbers of both mental and somatic disorders as well as female gender and younger age seemed to be independent negative predictors of mental HRQL, whereas BMI was not associated with mental HRQL. Therapy status was not related to mental or physical HRQL.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical and mental disorders are important detrimental factors for both physical and mental dimensions of HRQL.
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany. martina.dezwaan@uk-erlangen.de
Martina
M
de Zwaan
Inga
I
Petersen
Myriam
M
Kaerber
Ramona
R
Burgmer
Bjoern
B
Nolting
Tanja
T
Legenbauer
Andrea
A
Benecke
Stephan
S
Herpertz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires