Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

A bi-directional association between weight change and health-related quality of life: evidence from the 11-year follow-up of 9916 community-dwelling adults

  • Published:
Quality of Life Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To examine the prospective associations between body mass index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods

Data were extracted from a longitudinal, nationally representative sample of 9916 men and women aged 18 years and over who were followed annually between 2006 and 2016 in the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. HRQoL was assessed using the self-administered SF-36 questionnaire annually between 2006 (baseline) and 2016. BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight and was classified into the following four categories of baseline BMI: underweight (< 18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5–24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥ 30 kg/m2). We used linear mixed-effects regression models to investigate the associations between change in BMI (kg/m2) and concurrent changes in HRQoL scores over 11 years.

Results

BMI gain was associated with deterioration of Physical Component Summary (PCS) (P < 0.001), but not with change in Mental component summary (MCS) over the 11-year period. BMI gain was inversely associated (P < 0.001) with five of the eight HRQoL domains (physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health and vitality) with a significant graded association according to baseline BMI category. Over the 11-year study period, every unit increase in PCS was associated with a decrease of 0.02 (P < 0.001), 0.03 (P < 0.001) and 0.04 (P < 0.001) BMI units per year among participants who were normal, overweight and obese at baseline, respectively. Five of the eight domains of HRQoL (physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health and vitality) were inversely associated with BMI (P < 0.001) with a significant graded association according to baseline BMI category.

Conclusions

Weight gain was not only associated with deterioration of HRQoL, and vice versa. The bi-directional association was stronger for physical than mental domains of HRQoL.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Renu, G. (2017). Health effects of overweight and obesity in 195 countries over 25 years. New England Journal of Medicine,377(1), 13–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ezzati, M. (2017). Excess weight and multimorbidity: Putting people's health experience in risk factor epidemiology. The Lancet Public Health.,2(6), e252–e253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Whitlock, G., Lewington, S., Sherliker, P., Clarke, R., Emberson, J., Halsey, J., et al. (2009). Body-mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900 000 adults: Collaborative analyses of 57 prospective studies. Lancet (London, England),373(9669), 1083–1096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Di Angelantonio, E., Bhupathiraju, S. N., Wormser, D., Gao, P., Kaptoge, S., de Gonzalez, A. B., et al. (2016). Body-mass index and all-cause mortality: Individual-participant-data meta-analysis of 239 prospective studies in four continents. The Lancet,388(10046), 776–786.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Fuller-Thomson, E., Howden, K. E. N., Fuller-Thomson, L. R., & Agbeyaka, S. (2018). A strong graded relationship between level of obesity and COPD: Findings from a National Population-Based Study of Lifelong Nonsmokers. Journal of Obesity,2018, 9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Behrens, G., Matthews, C. E., Moore, S. C., Hollenbeck, A. R., & Leitzmann, M. F. (2014). Body size and physical activity in relation to incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal,186(12), E457–E469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Dudina, A., Cooney, M. T., Bacquer, D. D., Backer, G. D., Ducimetiere, P., Jousilahti, P., et al. (2011). Relationships between body mass index, cardiovascular mortality, and risk factors: A report from the SCORE investigators. European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation: Official Journal of the European Society of Cardiology, Working Groups on Epidemiology & Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology,18(5), 731–742.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Colagiuri, S., Lee, C. M., Colagiuri, R., Magliano, D., Shaw, J. E., Zimmet, P. Z., et al. (2010). The cost of overweight and obesity in Australia. The Medical Journal of Australia,192(5), 260–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jackson, C. A., Sudlow, C. L. M., & Mishra, G. D. (2018). Psychological distress and risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in the 45 and up study. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes,11(9), 45.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lehnert, T., Sonntag, D., Konnopka, A., Riedel-Heller, S., & König, H.-H. (2013). Economic costs of overweight and obesity. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism,27(2), 105–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Muller-Nordhorn, J., Muckelbauer, R., Englert, H., Grittner, U., Berger, H., Sonntag, F., et al. (2014). Longitudinal association between body mass index and health-related quality of life. PLoS ONE,9(3), e93071.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bottone, F. G., Hawkins, K., Musich, S., Cheng, Y., Ozminkowski, R. J., Migliori, R. J., et al. (2013). The relationship between body mass index and quality of life in community-living older adults living in the United States. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging,17(6), 495–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Cameron, A. J., Magliano, D. J., Dunstan, D. W., Zimmet, P. Z., Hesketh, K., Peeters, A., et al. (2011). A bi-directional relationship between obesity and health-related quality of life: Evidence from the longitudinal AusDiab study. International Journal of Obesity,36, 295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Jia, H., & Lubetkin, E. I. (2005). The impact of obesity on health-related quality-of-life in the general adult US population. Journal of public health (Oxford, England),27(2), 156–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Williams, J. W., Canterford, L., Hesketh, K. D., Hardy, P., Waters, E. B., Patton, G. C., et al. (2011). Changes in body mass index and health related quality of life from childhood to adolescence. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity: IJPO: An Official Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity,6(2–2), e442–e448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Hebestreit, H., Schmid, K., Kieser, S., Junge, S., Ballmann, M., Roth, K., et al. (2014). Quality of life is associated with physical activity and fitness in cystic fibrosis. BMC Pulmonary Medicine,14(1), 26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kivimäki, M., Lawlor, D. A., Singh-Manoux, A., Batty, G. D., Ferrie, J. E., Shipley, M. J., et al. (2009). Common mental disorder and obesity: Insight from four repeat measures over 19 years: Prospective Whitehall II cohort study. BMJ,339, b3765.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Tucker, L. A., & Earl, A. B. (2010). Emotional health and weight gain: A prospective study of midlife women. American Journal of Health Promotion: AJHP,25(1), 30–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. 2013 WHOMhapGWHO.

  20. Renu, H. (1995). Position paper from the World Health Organization. Social Science & Medicine,41(10), 1403–1439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Watson N. Longitudinal and cross-sectional weighting methodology for the HILDA survey, HILDA project technical paper series no. Retrieved from Melbourne, Australia: 2/12. Melbourne: Melbourne Institute; 2012.

  22. Ezzati, M. (2017). Excess weight and multimorbidity: Putting people's health experience in risk factor epidemiology. The Lancet Public Health,2(6), e252–e253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Stewart, M. (2007). The Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy,53(3), 208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hooker, S. A. (2013). SF-36. In M. D. Gellman & J. R. Turner (Eds.), Encyclopedia of behavioral medicine (pp. 1784–1786). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  25. Butterworth, P., & Crosier, T. (2004). The validity of the SF-36 in an Australian National Household Survey: Demonstrating the applicability of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey to examination of health inequalities. BMC Public Health,4, 44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kamp Dush, C. M., Yavorsky, J. E., & Schoppe-Sullivan, S. J. (2018). What are men doing while women perform extra unpaid labor? Leisure and specialization at the transition to parenthood. Sex Roles,78(11–12), 715–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Milton, K., Bull, F. C., & Bauman, A. (2011). Reliability and validity testing of a single-item physical activity measure. British Journal of Sports Medicine,45(3), 203–208.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Perales, F., Pozo-Cruz, J. D., & Pozo-Cruz, B. D. (2014). Impact of physical activity on psychological distress: A prospective analysis of an Australian National Sample. American Journal of Public Health.,104(12), e91–e97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Kivimaki, M., Kuosma, E., Ferrie, J. E., Luukkonen, R., Nyberg, S. T., Alfredsson, L., et al. (2017). Overweight, obesity, and risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity: Pooled analysis of individual-level data for 120 813 adults from 16 cohort studies from the USA and Europe. The Lancet Public Health,2(6), e277–e285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Friel, S., Berry, H., Dinh, H., O’Brien, L., & Walls, H. L. (2014). The impact of drought on the association between food security and mental health in a nationally representative Australian sample. BMC Public Health,14(1), 1102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Laxy, M., Teuner, C., Holle, R., & Kurz, C. (2017). The association between BMI and health-related quality of life in the US population: Sex, age and ethnicity matters. International Journal of Obesity,42, 318.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Doll, H. A., Petersen, S. E. K., & Stewart-Brown, S. L. (2000). Obesity and physical and emotional well-being: Associations between body mass index, chronic illness, and the physical and mental components of the SF-36 Questionnaire. Obesity Research,8(2), 160–170.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. de Zwaan, M., Petersen, I., Kaerber, M., Burgmer, R., Nolting, B., Legenbauer, T., et al. (2009). Obesity and quality of life: A controlled study of normal-weight and obese individuals. Psychosomatics,50(5), 474–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Slagter, S. N., van Vliet-Ostaptchouk, J. V., van Beek, A. P., Keers, J. C., Lutgers, H. L., van der Klauw, M. M., et al. (2015). Health-related quality of life in relation to obesity Grade, Type 2 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and inflammation. PLoS ONE,10(10), e0140599.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Wallander, J. L., Kerbawy, S., Toomey, S., Lowry, R., Elliott, M. N., Escobar-Chaves, S. L., et al. (2013). Is obesity associated with reduced health-related quality of life in Latino, Black and White children in the community? International Journal of Obesity,37(7), 920–925.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Biesma, R., & Hanson, M. (2016). Global, National, and Community Obesity Prevention Programs. In R. S. Ahima (Ed.), Metabolic syndrome: A comprehensive textbook (pp. 851–866). Cham: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  37. Hurt, R. T., Kulisek, C., Buchanan, L. A., & McClave, S. A. (2010). The obesity epidemic: Challenges, health initiatives, and implications for gastroenterologists. Gastroenterology & Hepatology,6(12), 780–792.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Skidmore, P. M. L., & Yarnell, J. W. G. (2004). The obesity epidemic: Prospects for prevention. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine,97(12), 817–825.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Avila-Funes, J. A., Gutierrez-Robledo, L. M., & Ponce De Leon Rosales, S. (2004). Validity of height and weight self-report in Mexican adults: Results from the National Health and Aging Study. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging,8(5), 355–361.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Luo, Y., Hawkley, L. C., Waite, L. J., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2012). Loneliness, health, and mortality in old age: A national longitudinal study. Social Science & Medicine.,74(6), 907–914.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the National Centre for Longitudinal Data (NCLD) for allowing us to access the HILDA dataset. The HILDA project was initiated and is funded by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and is managed by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research (Melbourne Institute).

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Berhe W. Sahle & Andre M. N. Renzaho

  2. Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Berhe W. Sahle & Shameran Slewa-Younan

  3. Mental Health, School of Medicine, Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia

    Shameran Slewa-Younan

  4. Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

    Yohannes Adama Melaku

  5. Center for Migrant Health Policy, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, China

    Li Ling

  6. Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia

    Andre M. N. Renzaho

Authors
  1. Berhe W. Sahle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shameran Slewa-Younan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yohannes Adama Melaku
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Li Ling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Andre M. N. Renzaho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Study concept and design: BWS. Acquisition of data: BWS. Analysis and interpretation of data: BWS. Drafting the manuscript: BWS. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: BWS, SS, YAM, LL and AMNR. BWS is the guarantor of this work and, as such, had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of data and the accuracy of data analysis.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Berhe W. Sahle.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 28 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sahle, B.W., Slewa-Younan, S., Melaku, Y.A. et al. A bi-directional association between weight change and health-related quality of life: evidence from the 11-year follow-up of 9916 community-dwelling adults. Qual Life Res 29, 1697–1706 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-020-02423-7

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-020-02423-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation