Published Online: Jun 30, 2018
Page range: 160 - 170
Received: Mar 12, 2018
Accepted: Apr 11, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34763/devperiodmed.20182202.160170
© 2018 Agnieszka Magiera, Elżbieta Sochacka-Tatara, Agata Sowa, Ryszard Jacek, Agnieszka Pac, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Aim
The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between body weight and the quality of life among adolescents in Krakow, Poland.
Material and methods
The study comprised 1291 pupils - 632 girls and 659 boys from 17 Krakow middle schools. Their quality of life (QoL) was assessed by means of the Polish version of the KIDSCREEN-27 questionnaire. Five dimensions of QoL were analyzed as low, average and high QoL according to Polish cut-off points. The body mass index (BMI) of the adolescents was classified as underweight, normal weight, or excessive weight according to Polish growth charts.
Results
Low QoL was observed significantly more often in girls than in boys. Excessive weight among both girls and boys was found to be a risk factor for low QoL in the “Physical Well-being” dimension as compared to normal weight adolescents. Additionally, boys with excessive weight had a two-fold higher risk of low QoL in the “Social Support & Peers” dimension (OR=2.00; 95 %CI:1.14-3.50). Underweight was associated with higher risk of low QoL in the “Physical Well-being”, “Autonomy & Parents”, and “Social Support & Peers” dimensions, but only among boys.
Conclusions
Both, underweight and excessive weight were associated with low QoL. Excessive weight in youth was linked mainly with lower physical well-being. Underweight was a predictor of low QoL only among boys in the dimensions related to physical health, as well as relations with family and peers.