Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on Health-related Quality of Life and Obesity-related Hormone in Obese Women

Abstract

Objective: Obesity is an important health issue and risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is also an underlying cause of metabolic syndrome (MS). Both obesity and MS have significant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Few studies have assessed the relationship between MS, HRQOL, and obesity-related hormone peptides in obese women. The present study investigated the impact of MS components on HRQOL and obesity-related hormone peptides in obese women. Methods: This study enrolled 259 obese women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m^2 and waist circumference ≥ 80 cm. Their anthropometric characteristics, biochemical characteristic, HRQOL, and obesity-related hormone peptides including insulin, leptin, ghrelin, and adiponectin were evaluated. All subjects met at least one of the five MS components defined in the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III. Results: Obese women with MS (n = 150) had lower HROQL in physical domain, lower level of adiponectin, but higher level of leptin and ghrelin than those without. With increasing number of MS components, lower HRQOL in physical domain, lower adiponectin, higher insulin, insulin resistance, and ghrelin were noted with statistical significance in the linear trend test (all p ＜ 0.001, except p = 0.025 for ghrelin). Leptin and other domains of HRQOL were not associated with the number of MS components. Conclusions: Obese women with MS had worse physical aspect of HRQOL than those without. The negative impact of MS components on physical aspect of HRQOL and adiponectin in obese women was noted. Future studies should focus on the relationship between HRQOL and obesity-related hormone peptides.