title: Race and gender associations between obesity and nine health-related quality-of-life measures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess how health-related quality of life (HRQoL) varies by body mass index (BMI) category among gender and racial subgroups using nine HRQoL measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 3,710 US adults, we evaluated self-reported height, weight, and HRQoL that was measured by six indexes (EQ-5D; HUI2; HUI3; SF-6D; QWB-SA; HALex) and three summary measures (theta; PCS; MCS). Mean HRQoL was estimated by weighted regression for normal, overweight, and obese subgroups (BMI: 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2); 25-29.9; and 30-50).
  
  
  RESULTS
  HRQoL was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) with increasing BMI category except for MCS. Obese individuals were 5.3 units lower on PCS (1-100 scale) and 0.05-0.11 lower on the HRQoL indexes (0-1 scale) than those with normal weight. MCS scores were significantly lower for obese than normal-weight among women (P = 0.04) but not men (P = 0.11). Overweight blacks had higher HRQoL than blacks in other BMI categories (P = 0.033).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Six commonly used HRQoL indexes and two of three health status summary measures indicated lower HRQoL with obesity and overweight than with normal BMI, but the degree of decrement varied by index. The association appeared driven primarily by physical health, although mental health also played a role among women. Counter to hypotheses, blacks may have highest HRQoL when overweight.
authors.affiliation: Partnership for Health Analytic Research, LLC, 280 South Beverly Drive #404, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, USA. tbentley@pharllc.com
authors.forename: Tanya G K
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palta
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Paulsen
authors.forename: Dasha
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cherepanov
authors.forename: Nancy Cross
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Dunham
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feeny
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Dennis G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Fryback
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology