title: Bodyweight, gender, and quality of life: a population-based longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the paper is to describe trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQL) associated with categories of body mass index (BMI): underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese class I, and obese classes II and III.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data come from the longitudinal Canadian National Population Health Survey. Analyses are based on data for 3,864 men and 4,745 women who were 40+ in 1998/1999 and followed through 2006/2007. HRQL was measured with the Health Utilities Index Mark 3. Multi-level growth modeling was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HRQL declined with age. For men, there was a large HRQL decrement for being underweight; trajectories for all other BMI categories were very similar. For women being underweight was associated with higher HRQL at younger ages but lower at older ages. Otherwise, for women, HRQL was ordered from highest to lowest: normal, overweight, obese class I, and obese classes II and III.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given that excess weight is a risk factor for mortality and the development of chronic conditions, the HRQL results for men are surprising. The HRQL results for women may reflect both the importance of body image on mental health and the health effects of excess weight.
authors.affiliation: Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Rochelle E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Garner
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Feeny
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.forename: Bentson H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: McFarland
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huguet
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orpana
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blanchard
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological