Abstract
This study aimed to determine the association between overweight and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Tehranian school children. A total of 631 school children aged 8–14 year old were selected from elementary and secondary schools, and body weight status was determined according to WHO growth references for 5–19 year old children. Children were categorized into the overweight and non-overweight groups. The HRQoL was assessed using Iranian versions of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version™ 4.0 (PedsQL). Overweight elementary school boys had significantly higher scores for physical functioning, school functioning and total HRQoL, compared to non-overweight ones (p < 0.05). On the other hand, except for emotional functioning subscale, overweight secondary school boys had significantly lower HRQoL scores, compared to their non-overweight counterparts (p < 0.05). In girls, only social functioning subscale scores were significantly lower in elementary school girls compared to non-overweight ones (p < 0.05). Based on parents’ perspective, overweight elementary school boys had poorer HRQoL compared to their non-overweight counterparts, significant only for emotional functioning (p < 0.05). For secondary school boys, overweight boys had lower HRQoL scores compared to non-overweight ones, significant for all subscales except for emotional functioning. Based on parents’ reports, in both elementary and secondary school girls, there were no significant differences in HRQoL scores between overweight and non-overweight groups. To conclude, in boys while overweight significantly increased HRQoL in children, it significantly decreased HRQoL among adolescents. However, except for social functioning in elementary school girls, there was no significant association between HRQoL scores and overweight. Parents’ reports showed an association between overweight and HRQoL, only in boys.
Highlights
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents has risen in both developed and developing countries in recent decades (Wang and Lobstein 2006)
Considering lack of evidence regarding this association in Tehranian children during early adolescence, this study aims to investigate the association between overweight and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Tehranian school children, aged 8–14 years and to compare this association between elementary and secondary school students
Participants Participants of this study were 631 school children, aged 8–14 years, who resided in the north of Tehran; using a simple random sampling method, one district was selected from this area and after preparing lists of all elementary and secondary schools in the selected district, four schools were randomly selected
Summary
The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents has risen in both developed and developing countries in recent decades (Wang and Lobstein 2006). Findings from a national survey of Iranian school children (6–18 years) indicated that about one in five students (20.2 % of girls and 22.9 % of boys) were either overweight or obese (Kelishadi et al 2013). Overweight and obesity are reported to be associated with increased risk of development of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, and asthma during childhood (Friedemann et al 2012; Ho 2009; l’Allemand-Jander 2010; Schiel et al 2006; Gupta et al 2012; Papoutsakis et al 2013). There is evidence indicating obese children and adolescents have impaired HRQoL (Ul-Haq et al 2013; Ottova et al 2012; Keating et al 2011)
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