The role of body mass index, weight change desires and depressive symptoms in the health-related quality of life of children living in urban disadvantage: Testing mediation models.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to ascertain whether or not the body mass index (BMI) of urban disadvantaged children indirectly affects their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) through weight change desires and depressive symptoms and whether such mediation is conditional upon age and gender.


METHODS
A total of 255 children aged 7-12 years (50% male) were recruited from 7 schools in urban disadvantaged districts in Ireland using consecutive sampling. A prospective longitudinal design was employed whereby children completed, at two time points, the Kidscreen-27, the Children's Depression Inventory, and the Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire, and had their BMI measured. The analyses involved multiple-, half-longitudinal- and moderated-mediation.


RESULTS
Results showed that the depressive symptoms of children wanting to change their weight may have lead, in large part, to poorer HRQoL (specifically psychological well-being when considering longitudinal data) rather than weight status per se. The mediation effect of weight change desires occurred regardless of age or gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Childhood obesity programmes that traditionally focus on the negatives of obesity and the need to control weight may need to take a more positive approach to health and well-being by, for example promoting intuitive eating, an active lifestyle, body acceptance and good mental health.
a School of Nursing & Midwifery , Trinity College Dublin (TCD) , Dublin , Ireland.
Ciara
C
Wynne
a School of Nursing & Midwifery , Trinity College Dublin (TCD) , Dublin , Ireland.
Catherine
C
Comiskey
b Department of Psychology , National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM) , Kildare , Ireland.
Sinéad
S
McGilloway
D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D011204:Poverty Areas; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population
body image; body mass index; children; depressive symptoms; health-related quality of life; mediation models