[Health-related quality of life of obese children].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the health-related quality of life of obese children.


METHODS
This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 131 children, aged 8 and 12 years, 50 obese children (study group) and 81 with normal weight (control group). All children underwent anthropometric assessment (weight and height) to obtain the body mass index. The criterion of the NCHS-CDC was used to determine nutritional status. Quality of life was assessed by the PedsQL - generic version for children, validated for the Brazilian population. We used descriptive statistics, the U test, the Mann Whitney and unpaired Student t tests, with a significance level of p < 0.05.


RESULTS
The group of obese children had a lower quality of life in all four areas when compared to normal children, with a significant difference in the physical, emotional, social, psychosocial and overall quality of life. From a total of 100 points, the median of overall quality of life of obese children was 69.9 while that of normal weight was 82.2.


CONCLUSIONS
Obese children had a poorer quality of life related to health when compared to normal children, which should be taken into account when planning for control of obesity.
Poeta
Lisiane Schilling
LS
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina - UFSC, Florianópolis, SC. lisiaepoeta@hotmail.com
Duarte
Maria de Fátima da Silva
Mde F
Giuliano
Isabela de Carlos Back
Ide C
D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires