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Obese Adolescents Report Better Health-Related Quality of Life than Obese Young Adults

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Abstract

Background

Impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is described as a major concern for severely obese adolescents seeking intentional weight loss. We aimed to compare HRQOL in obese adolescents seeking weight loss with body mass index (BMI)-matched younger adults and community norms.

Methods

Eighty-one adolescents (14–18.8 years) with BMI 30–60 kg/m2 completed the Short Form (SF)-36 prior to commencing a weight loss program. Each adolescent was matched for BMI and gender with two obese adults seeking weight loss, 10 and 20 years older, respectively. The groups were compared across all eight scale scores and mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS). Summary scores were also compared to community norms.

Results

The adolescents had higher scores than those in their 20s for all SF-36 scales and summary scores, indicating better HRQOL. Compared with community norms, obese adolescents had lower PCS and comparable MCS scores. Both groups of adults had lower PCS scores, but MCS was lower in those in their 20s compared with both adolescents and those in their 30s. There were no gender differences in patterns of responses across the three age groups.

Conclusions

Obese adolescents seeking intentional weight loss have significant impairment in physical aspects of HRQOL, but self-reported mental HRQOL appears to be similar to community controls. In contrast, obese participants in their 20s report clinically significant impairment in mental HRQOL. When considering adolescents for bariatric surgery, careful assessment is needed. We need a greater understanding of the emotional distress reported by those in their 20s.

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Acknowledgments

Prof Dixon and Prof G Lambert receive NHMRC Senior Research Fellowships.

Conflicts of Interest

Prof. Dixon has received research funding from Allergan Inc., is on the Optifast® Medical Advisory Board for Nestlé Australia, and has received consultancy fees/honoraria from Apollo Endosurgical, Metagenics, Nova Nordisk, and iNova Pharmaceuticals. Prof. G Lambert has received honoraria from Medtronic, Pfizer, and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for presentations. His laboratory currently receives research grant funding from Medtronic (formerly ARDIAN Inc.) and Servier Australia. None of these entities played any part in the conception or preparation of this manuscript. Ms. Rice and Dr. E Lambert have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Obesity Research, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, PO Box 6492, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    John B. Dixon, Toni L. Rice & Elisabeth A. Lambert

  2. Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Toni L. Rice, Elisabeth A. Lambert & Gavin W. Lambert

  3. Primary Care Research Unit, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    John B. Dixon

  4. Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Elisabeth A. Lambert

  5. Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Gavin W. Lambert

Authors
  1. John B. Dixon
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  2. Toni L. Rice
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  3. Elisabeth A. Lambert
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  4. Gavin W. Lambert
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Correspondence to John B. Dixon.

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Dixon, J.B., Rice, T.L., Lambert, E.A. et al. Obese Adolescents Report Better Health-Related Quality of Life than Obese Young Adults. OBES SURG 25, 2135–2142 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-015-1677-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-015-1677-8

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