Health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with overweight and obesity in Sonora, Mexico

BACKGROUND: Weight excess (WE) relates to health disorders in children and adolescents and can deteriorate their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). OBJECTIVE: Longitudinally assess health-related quality of life in subjects from 7 to 17 years of age with excess weight, treated with two different schedules of medical care: comprehensive and traditional. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quasi-experimental design with 42 subjects and their parents or care takers, stratified by the type of intervention; group I received a comprehensive intervention, while group II, an intervention based on traditional nutritional care. The subjects were compared using the BMI-Z score for age and sex, and the validated PedsQL® questionnaire was used to examine their HRQoL before and after an intervention for weight control. The association between BMI and HRQOL was estimated using a multiple linear regression model. RESULTS: At baseline, there were no differences in body condition and HRQoL of both groups. After the intervention, the subjects in group II had 12 points less (p = 0.012) in the PedsQL® score than those in group I. CONCLUSIONS: The HRQoL of subjects with the traditional intervention was perceived as deteriorated, while the comprehensive program for weight control had a positive effect on their HRQoL.