title: The longitudinal association between weight change and health-related quality of life: the KORA S4/F4 cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the increasing importance of patient-centered perspectives, the impact of weight change on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) has remained unclear. This work aims to investigate this longitudinal relationship.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was collected from a population-based cohort study of 3,080 Germans. Anthropometrics and HRQL were assessed at baseline and after a 7-year follow-up period. Using linear regression the average change in HRQL scores was calculated among 5 mutually exclusive weight change groups. Multilevel growth modeling was conducted to differentiate between interpersonal (cross-sectional) and intrapersonal (longitudinal) associations between body mass index (BMI)/BMI change and HRQL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heavy weight gain (≥10 % body weight) was associated with impairments in physical health among women (-2.82 points, CI: -4.29, -1.34) and obese men (-4.33 points, CI: -7.62, -1.04) and with improvements in mental health among women (+3.20 points, CI: +1.37, +5.02). Results from the multilevel models were consistent, showing negative associations between BMI change and physical health, positive associations between BMI change and mental health and a high degree of similarity between interpersonal and intrapersonal associations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight gain leads to clinically relevant impairments in physical health. More research is needed to clarify the antipodal effects of weight change on physical and mental health components.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany, michael.laxy@helmholtz-muenchen.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laxy
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Holle
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Döring
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hunger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain