Poor Health Related Quality of Life and Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits in Weight-Loss Treatment-Seeking Youth

Enza Mozzillo, Eugenio Zito, Valeria Calcaterra, Nicola Corciulo, Mario Di Pietro, Anna Di Sessa, Roberto Franceschi, Maria Rosaria Licenziati, Giulio Maltoni, Giuseppe Morino, Barbara Predieri, Maria Elisabeth Street, Giuliana Trifirò, Francesca Gallè, Adriana Franzese and Giuliana Valerio
Additional contact information
Enza Mozzillo: Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, Regional Center of Pediatric Diabetes, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Eugenio Zito: Department of Social Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy
Valeria Calcaterra: Pediatrics and Adolescentology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Nicola Corciulo: Unit of Auxology and Pediatric Endocrinology, Sacred Heart of Jesus Hospital, Gallipoli, 73014 Lecce, Italy
Mario Di Pietro: Pediatrics Unit, Hospital of Atri, 64032 Atri, Italy
Anna Di Sessa: Department of Woman, Child, and General and Specialized Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Roberto Franceschi: Pediatric Unit, S. Chiara Hospital, 38122 Trento, Italy
Maria Rosaria Licenziati: Obesity and Endocrine Disease Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, 80129 Naples, Italy
Giulio Maltoni: Pediatric Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Giuseppe Morino: Research Unit for Multifactorial Diseases, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Barbara Predieri: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences of the Mother, Children and Adults—Pediatric Unit University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41124 Modena, Italy
Maria Elisabeth Street: Department of Mother and Child, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy
Giuliana Trifirò: Endocrinology and Metabolism Division, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, 20097 Milan, Italy
Francesca Gallè: Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Parthenope University of Naples, 80133 Naples, Italy
Adriana Franzese: Department of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, Regional Center of Pediatric Diabetes, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Giuliana Valerio: Department of Movement Sciences and Wellbeing, Parthenope University of Naples, 80133 Naples, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: Obesity is associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and poor Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL). The cumulative effect of lifestyle behaviors on HRQOL has been demonstrated in chronically ill adolescents, but not in adolescents with obesity. The present study aimed to assess the association between HRQOL and adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and/or low levels of physical activity (PA) in a large sample of outpatient adolescents with overweight or obesity seeking weight loss treatment. Four-hundred-twenty participants were enrolled from 10 Italian outpatient clinics. The demographics and anthropometric features, KIDMED scores, and exercise levels of the participants were collected, together with parental features. The HRQOL was assessed by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL™), Adolescents Version 4.0. PedsQL total score and functioning subscales were lower in adolescents who reported one or two unhealthy habits. Compared with the high/intermediate groups, the risk of low HRQOL was twice as high for each unit increase in BMI SDS, while the percentage was reduced by 12.2% for every unit increase in the KIDMED score and by 32.3% for each hour increase of exercise. The clustering of these two unhealthy behaviors conferred a 120% higher risk of low HRQOL. Similarly, adolescents displaying better diet quality and/or a physically more active lifestyle have better physical and psychological functioning. Further studies are needed to disclose whether these characteristics may be predictive of better adherence to weight loss treatment.

Keywords: adolescents; KIDMED score; mediterranean diet; obesity; overweight; physical activity; physical functioning; psychological functioning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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