A comparison of Health-Related Quality of Life among Normal-Weight, Overweight and Obese adolescents

The present study was conducted to compare the dimensions of Health-Related Quality of Life in normal weight, overweight and obese adolescent boys and girls. A sample of 240 boys and girls, 80 each with normal weight, overweight and obese were randomly selected from high school students. Participants' weights were measured by using a digital weighing machine and their heights were measured with an inflexible metal meter scale. To assess Health-Related QOL the SF-36 questionnaire were used. Data were analyzed by using multivariate analyses of variance. Findings indicated on the dimension of physical functioning normal weight individuals fared better than the other two groups and overweight individuals fared better than the obese group. On the dimension of Role limitations due to physical health, the normal weight group was in a more favorable position than the other two groups. On the dimensions of Social functioning, pain, and general health, the normal group was only better than the obese group. In this study was concluded that the negative effects of overweight and obesity weren't obvious on all the dimensions of Health-Related QOL, but it was the physical dimensions that were adversely affected. (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of the 2nd World Conference on Psychology, Counselling and guidance.