Parents' perception of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with excess weight

Body frame size, body image, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life in schoolchildren

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between body frame size (BFS) and body image, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in Mexican schoolchildren.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included children aged 6 to 11 years. Body image, self-esteem, and HRQL were evaluated through interviews. Two frame-size measures, biacromial and bitrochanteric diameters, were collected and summed for categorizing BFS as small, medium, or large. Height and weight were also measured. Spearman's correlations were determined and adjusted by sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with the psychological measure as the binary dependent variable, the categories of BFS as the independent variable, and sex, age, and BMI as control variables.

RESULTS

The correlation between BFS and body image was 0.15 (P < .01) and after BMI adjustment was 0.07 (P > .05). BFS did not correlate with self-esteem nor HRQL (P > .05). Of the children, 79% were dissatisfied with their body image, 20% had a low self-esteem, and 31.8% had a poorly perceived HRQL; there were no differences by BFS. The multivariate analysis showed that a large BFS was not associated with body image dissatisfaction (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.6-2.3), low self-esteem (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.7-2.6), or poor HRQL (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.8-2.2).

CONCLUSIONS

BFS was not correlated with body image, self-esteem, or HRQL. A high self-esteem and a good level of HRQL prevailed, but a high proportion of children were dissatisfied with their body image. School interventions should promote an appropriate body image and a healthy lifestyle.

Health-related quality of life in adolescents with excess weight

OBJECTIVE

To identify health-related quality of life in adolescents with excess weight and associated factors, such as gender, age, and weight categories.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study with collected and secondary data from 276 adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years with overweight and obesity, and whose parents or guardians authorized their participation. Anthropometric data, pubertal development, and the PedsQL 4.0 questionnaire were collected for the health-related quality of life assessment. Categorical data were described as numbers and percentages. For the description of health-related quality of life subscales, medians and the 25^th and 75^th percentiles were used, as well as the Mann-Whitney test for comparisons between age group, gender, and weight categories.

RESULTS

The median health-related quality of life total score was 78.3 (68.5-87.4). The lowest scale was the "emotional score", 65 (50-80). Higher health-related quality of life was found in boys in most of the scores (p<0.05), except for the "school score" (p=0.09). Regarding the age group, the median of the "physical scores" (p=0.03) and "social score" (p=0.02) were significantly lower in the group younger than 14 years. When separated according to weight categories, it was verified that obese adolescents differed significantly in relation to the "physical score" (p=0.00), "school score" (p=0.04), and "total score" (p=0.02) of the health-related quality of life. However, there was no significant difference between the emotional, social, and psychosocial scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents with overweight and obesity show losses in the health-related quality of life and also between the different domains, when separated by age, gender, and weight categories.

Does anthropometric and fitness parameters mediate the effect of exercise on the HRQoL of overweight and obese children/adolescents?

BACKGROUND

There is sufficient evidence about the effects of physical exercise programs on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in obese and overweight children.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects on physical fitness and HRQoL in overweight and obesity children and their parents and find out whether the effect of intervention on anthropometric and physical fitness parameters mediated the improvements found in the proxies' perception of participant quality of life.

METHODS

151 overweight and obese children (106 intervention and 45 control) participated in a public exercise program. Anthropometrics characteristics, physical fitness, and HRQoL (EQ-5D-Y) were measured. Analysis of Covariance and effect size were performed to analyze the improvement. Mediation analyzed with bootstrap to observe whether anthropometric or physical fitness improvements mediate of the changes in the proxies' assessment of HRQoL.

RESULTS

Significant improvements were found in waist circumference, physical fitness, and HRQoL. The improvement of waist circumference showed a significant indirect effect on the change in the proxy perception of quality of life.

CONCLUSION

The reduction of waist circumference mediates the change on proxies' perception of quality of life and not by the improvement in physical fitness.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN97887613.

Psychosocial Screening Among Youth Seeking Weight Management Treatment

The objectives of this study were to identify rates of, and factors associated with, "at-risk" scores on a brief psychosocial screener among overweight/obese youth seeking weight management treatment, as well as concordance between youth and caregiver reports. A retrospective chart review of 1443 consecutive patients ages 4 to 18 years and their caregivers was conducted. Almost 1 in 4 youth with overweight/obesity presented with psychosocial symptoms in the at-risk range for significant mental health issues based on caregiver report on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and 1 in 6 based on youth self-report on the Youth Pediatric Symptom Checklist (Y-PSC). Concordance between caregiver and youth was fair (agreement 24% to 40%). Higher scores were associated with male sex and older age on the PSC and with indication of depressive disorder in the electronic medical record on the Y-PSC. Conducting a brief psychosocial screen in comprehensive weight management programs is feasible and clinically indicated.