Quality of Life in 6 to 12-Year-Old Children with Overweight and Obesity Compared To Children with Normal Weight

Background: The prevalence of children with overweight and obesity has increased considerably worldwide and these children have been consistently found to have a lower mental and physical health status, which may affect their quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life among 6 to 12-year-old children with overweight and obesity in comparison to children with normal weight. Methods: This case-control study was performed on 147 cases (79 overweight or obese and 68 normal weight children). For evaluating quality of life, the original version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) was used. Results: It was revealed that the average physical (32.56 +/- 7.07 vs. 30.19 +/- 5.68, P=0.026) and emotional (20.31 +/- 3.83 vs. 19.01 +/- 4.04, P=0.049) performance in the group of normal weight children was significantly higher than in overweight/obese children (p<0.05). However, the total score of quality of life did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.287). Conclusion: These results indicate that in the studied society, children with a normal weight are more socially accepted and have a higher level of self-confidence than their overweight and obese peers. However, due to the lack of difference between the social performance score of these children and that of children with normal weight, it can be concluded that by proper treatments, we can prevent possible future injuries.