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A bi-directional relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life: evidence from the longitudinal AusDiab study

International Journal of Obesity volume 36, pages 295–303 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the prospective relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life, including a novel assessment of the impact of health-related quality of life on weight gain.

Design and setting:

Longitudinal, national, population-based Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle (AusDiab) study, with surveys conducted in 1999/2000 and 2004/2005.

Participants:

A total of 5985 men and women aged ⩾25 years at study entry.

Main outcome measure(s):

At both time points, height, weight and waist circumference were measured and self-report data on health-related quality of life from the SF-36 questionnaire were obtained. Cross-sectional and bi-directional, prospective associations between obesity categories and health-related quality of life were assessed.

Results:

Higher body mass index (BMI) at baseline was associated with deterioration in health-related quality of life over 5 years for seven of the eight health-related quality of life domains in women (all P⩽0.01, with the exception of mental health, P>0.05), and six out of eight in men (all P<0.05, with the exception of role-emotional, P=0.055, and mental health, P>0.05). Each of the quality-of-life domains related to mental health as well as the mental component summary were inversely associated with BMI change (all P<0.0001 for women and P⩽0.01 for men), with the exception of vitality, which was significant in women only (P=0.008). For the physical domains, change in BMI was inversely associated with baseline general health in women only (P=0.023).

Conclusions:

Obesity was associated with a deterioration in health-related quality of life (including both physical and mental health domains) in this cohort of Australian adults followed over 5 years. Health-related quality of life was also a predictor of weight gain over 5 years, indicating a bi-directional association between obesity and health-related quality of life. The identification of those with poor health-related quality of life may be important in assessing the risk of future weight gain, and a focus on health-related quality of life may be beneficial in weight management strategies.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the many people involved in organizing and conducting the AusDiab study, and especially the participants for volunteering their valuable time. AJC had full access to all of the data of the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. AJC is supported by a capacity building grant from the Australian NHMRC (Grant 425845). JES is supported by an NHMRC fellowship (586623). KH is supported by a National Heart Foundation of Australia Career Development Award. AP and DWD are supported by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation Public Health Research Fellowships. AusDiab was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (grant number 233200). The AusDiab study, co-coordinated by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, acknowledges the support by the following: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Abbott Australasia, Alphapharm, AstraZeneca, Aventis Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb, City Health Centre Diabetes Service—Canberra, Diabetes Australia, Healthy Living NT, Eli Lilly Australia, Estate of the late Edward Wilson, GlaxoSmithKline, Jack Brockhoff Foundation, Janssen-Cilag, Kidney Health Australia, Marian & EH Flack Trust, Menzies Research Institute, Merck Sharp & Dohme, New South Wales Health, Northern Territory Department of Health and Families, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Pratt Foundation, Queensland Health, Roche Diagnostics Australia, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (Sydney), Sanofi-Synthelabo, South Australia Health, Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services, Victorian Department of Human Services, and Western Australia Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Diabetes and Epidemiology Department, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    A J Cameron, D J Magliano, D W Dunstan, P Z Zimmet & J E Shaw

  2. Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia

    A J Cameron & K Hesketh

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    D J Magliano & A Peeters

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  1. A J Cameron
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Correspondence to A J Cameron.

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Cameron, A., Magliano, D., Dunstan, D. et al. A bi-directional relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life: evidence from the longitudinal AusDiab study. Int J Obes 36, 295–303 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2011.103

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