Parents' perception of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with excess weight

Abstract

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the perception of parents or caregivers on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity and possible factors associated with this perception. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 297 caregivers of children and adolescents with normal weight (n = 170) and with overweight/obesity (n = 127), from public and private schools in the study municipality. HRQOL scores obtained through the Child Health Questionnaire - Parent Form 50 (CHQ-PF50) were compared according to the nutritional status and gender of the children/adolescents. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the predictive value of studied variables for the variation in HRQOL scores. RESULTS: Parents of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity attributed lower HRQOL scores to their children in the following domains: physical functioning (p < 0.01; d = 0.49), self-esteem (p < 0.01; d = 0.38), parental impact-emotional (p < 0.05; d= 0.29), family cohesion (p < 0.05; d = 0.26), physical summary score (p < 0.05;d = 0.29), and psychosocial summary score (p < 0.05; d = 0.25). In the multiple regression models, the variables with the highest contribution to the variation in HRQOL scores were: in the physical functioning domain, parental impact-time (ß = 0.23; p < 0.05); self-esteem, nutritional status (ß = -0.18;p ≤ 0.01); emotional impact on parents, impact on parents' time (ß = 0.31; p < 0.05); and in family cohesion, global behavior (ß = 0.30;p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A negative impact on HRQOL of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity was observed in the physical and psychosocial aspects. The nutritional status was the variable with the greatest contribution for the assessment the self-esteem of children and adolescents in this study.

Keywords

• Qualidade de vida
• Criança
• Adolescente
• Sobrepeso
• Obesidade
• Autoimagem