title: Obese Adolescents Report Better Health-Related Quality of Life than Obese Young Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is described as a major concern for severely obese adolescents seeking intentional weight loss. We aimed to compare HRQOL in obese adolescents seeking weight loss with body mass index (BMI)-matched younger adults and community norms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one adolescents (14-18.8 years) with BMI 30-60 kg/m(2) completed the Short Form (SF)-36 prior to commencing a weight loss program. Each adolescent was matched for BMI and gender with two obese adults seeking weight loss, 10 and 20 years older, respectively. The groups were compared across all eight scale scores and mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS). Summary scores were also compared to community norms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adolescents had higher scores than those in their 20s for all SF-36 scales and summary scores, indicating better HRQOL. Compared with community norms, obese adolescents had lower PCS and comparable MCS scores. Both groups of adults had lower PCS scores, but MCS was lower in those in their 20s compared with both adolescents and those in their 30s. There were no gender differences in patterns of responses across the three age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese adolescents seeking intentional weight loss have significant impairment in physical aspects of HRQOL, but self-reported mental HRQOL appears to be similar to community controls. In contrast, obese participants in their 20s report clinically significant impairment in mental HRQOL. When considering adolescents for bariatric surgery, careful assessment is needed. We need a greater understanding of the emotional distress reported by those in their 20s.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Obesity Research, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, PO Box 6492, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. John.Dixon@bakeridi.edu.au.|Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. John.Dixon@bakeridi.edu.au.
authors.forename: John B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: Clinical Obesity Research, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, PO Box 6492, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.|Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Toni L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Clinical Obesity Research, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, PO Box 6492, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.|Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Elisabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia.|Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Gavin W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bariatric surgery; Emotional wellbeing; Intentional weight loss; Mental health; Teens