Relationship between Weight Status and Health-Related Quality of Life in a Sample of Early Adolescents from Central and Northern Italy: A Cross-Sectional Study of the AVATAR Project Participants

Francesca Mastorci, Paolo Piaggi, Cristina Doveri, Gabriele Trivellini, Irene Marinaro, Anselmo Casu, Alessandro Pingitore and Cristina Vassalle
Additional contact information
Francesca Mastorci: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Paolo Piaggi: Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Cristina Doveri: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Gabriele Trivellini: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Irene Marinaro: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Anselmo Casu: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Alessandro Pingitore: Clinical Physiology Institute, CNR, 56121 Pisa, Italy
Cristina Vassalle: Fondazione G. Monasterio, Regione Toscana, 56121 Pisa, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-10

Abstract: Among the various factors that could influence health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescence, body mass index (BMI) seems to play a key role as a main anthropometric parameter. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine, in a sample of Italian adolescents, whether HRQoL is associated with the different weight status categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese), according to BMI cut-off points for children, even considering sex differences. Data were collected from 1707 adolescents ( n = 828 males) in seven schools. HRQoL was analyzed using the Italian version of KIDSCREEN-52. Males were more overweight and obese than females (13% vs. 10% and 4% vs. 2%, p < 0.05, respectively). In females, BMI categories are associated with physical well-being ( p < 0.05), emotion/mood ( p < 0.05), self-perception ( p < 0.001), financial resources ( p < 0.05), and bullying behavior ( p < 0.05). In males, weight status is linked to physical well-being dimension ( p < 0.001) and perception of self ( p < 0.05). Our results may suggest that there is an association between weight status categories and HRQoL, more pronounced in females than in males. Interestingly, the weight status correlated more with the psychological dimension mainly in females, whereas in males, a stronger association between weight and physical status was observed, suggesting that given the complex, multifaceted, and dynamic nature of relationship between health-related quality of life and weight status in adolescents, multiple factors must be considered.

Keywords: adolescence; health-related quality of life; overweight; obesity; underweight; sex differences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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