Longitudinal relation between weight change and quality of life in a community-based population: A prospective cohort study

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies revealed that obesity is associated with lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between 5-year weight change and HRQOL. Methods: Data from 2414 Dutch men and women was collected. HRQOL was measured with the RAND-36. Weight change was calculated as change in weight between 1998 and 2003. Using generalized estimation equations, we primarily analyzed the influence of weight change on HRQOL for the total population and additionally, by change groups (weight losers, weight maintainers and weight gainers) using regression analysis. All analyses were stratified for gender. Results: After 5 years, 598 men (50%) and 646 women (54%) maintained their weight, 177 men (15%) and 163 women (14%) lost >2.5 kg and 410 men (35%) and 379 women (32%) gained >2.5 kg. Longitudinal associations of 5-year weight change and HRQOL were found for mental component score (MCS) in women (β = 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02-0.24), and physical component score (PCS) in men (β = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.00) and women (β = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.19 to -0.01). Categorizing for 5-year weight change showed that weight gainers and weight losers did not significantly differ from weight maintainers on both MCS and PCS for both men and women. Conclusion: Weight change over 5 years leaded to a slight, though significant reduction on the PCS in both genders. In women, we found a positive association between weight change and MCS. © 2012 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.