Abstracts Division 2
42. Quality of life in children and adolescents with overweight, obesity and severe obesity: a cross sectional study
Kelly G. H. van de Pas, MD1, 2, 3*, Maartje A. P. de Krom, MD1*, Bjorn Winkens, PhD4, François M.H. van Dielen, MD PhD2, Anita C.E. Vreugdenhil, MD PhD1, 3
* Both authors contributed equally.
1Centre for Overweight Adolescent and Children’s Healthcare (COACH), Department of Paediatrics, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, the Netherlands
2Department of Surgery, Máxima Medical Center, Veldhoven, The Netherlands
3NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
4Department of Methodology and Statistics, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Introduction
Children and adolescents with overweight and obesity have an impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to their peers with normal weight. However, studies on the differences in HRQoL between various degrees of overweigth are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the HRQoL between treatment seeking children and adolescents with overweight, obesity and severe obesity.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was performed at the Centre for Overweight Adolescent and Children’s Healthcare (COACH). Children and adolescents (8-17 years) with overweight, obesity and severe obesity were eligible for inclusion. The primary outcome was the self-reported HRQoL measured with the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire.
Results
A total of 419 participants with overweight (N=121), obesity (N=182) and severe obesity (N=116) were included. One way ANOVA analysis showed that children and adolescents with severe obesity had significantly lower physical and psychological wellbeing (41.25±13.14 and 45.14±13.27) compared to those with overweight (47.91±12.53 and 50.90±9.48; both p<0.001) and obesity (46.74±11.93 and 49.71±10.95; p<0.001 and p=0.002). Multivariable linear regression analysis, while correcting for age, sex, cardio metabolic health risk and ethnicity, revealed similar results. Additionally, children and adolescents with severe obesity scored lower regarding autonomy & parent relation than those with overweight (B=3.91; p= 0.010). In almost all groups and dimensions of the KIDSCREEN-27, caregivers scored lower compared to the children and adolescents themselves. Furthermore, a low child-caregiver agreement seemed to exist, especially in the children and adolescents with overweight.
Conclusions
Among the group of treatment seeking children and adolescents with overweight and obesity, those with the most severe grade of obesity reported the lowest HRQoL. The present study provides an important foundation for a better understanding of the differences in HRQoL between various degrees of overweight and can contribute to the optimization of lifestyle intervention programs to successfully combat childhood overweight and obesity.
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