Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adolescents with Obesity.

Abstract

A number of research studies have demonstrated a decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQL) measures among obese children. Moreover, the causes of HRQL impairments are not completely clear. Adolescent obesity is oftentimes associated with other cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs); hence, the aim of our research was to estimate the frequency of CRFs and to determine whether there is an association between CRFs and HRQL scores among obese adolescents. Our research included 92 treatment-seeking obese adolescents (11-17 years), 34 males. We looked at medical records and performed physical examinations, including anthropometry and laboratory evaluations. PedsQL™ 4.0 was used to assess the HRQL score. Logistic regression models were used to identify CRFs associated with worse HRQL scores, both in total and in each domain. The vast majority (70.6%) of adolescents had at least one CRF in addition to obesity. A cluster of three to four CRFs was found in 23.3% and was associated with males more than with the degree of obesity [odds ratio (OR) 4; confidence interval (95% CI) 1.3-11.6, p = 0.01]. HRQL scores in emotional functioning domain and scores of HRQL total were directly associated with waist circumference Z-score (OR 4.1; 95% CI 1.1-14.9, p = 0.03 and OR 3.4; 95% CI 1-11.6, p = 0.049). Hypertension was associated with worsening HRQL scores in school functioning domain (OR 3.3; 95% CI 1-10.9, p = 0.049). Obesity in adolescents is associated with a high frequency of associated CRFs and decreased HRQL scores. Although CRFs have an influence on reducing adolescents' HRQL, they are not a determining factor.