Measured And Perceived Weight Status And Health-Related Quality Of Life

Background:Previous studies found that obese subjects reported better mental Health-Related Quality of Life(HRQoL)than those of normal weight.Self-perceived weight status might modify this association.We sought to examine the associations between measured and perceived weight status and HRQoL,and to demonstrate the effects of accuracy of weight status perception on the relationships.Methods:A total of 3,158 adults were recruited in an urban area in China in 2015.BF%was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry(DXA),and HRQoL was measured by the Chinese Short-Form 36-item questionnaire(SF-36).Weight and height were measured during the physical examination.Self-reported weight at 10 and 20 years ago were asked during the survey to calculate weight change.Perceived weight status was collected through a face-to-face questionnaire survey.Linear regression models were used to examine the relationships between weight status and HRQoL scales,and logistic regression models were used to examine the odds of having metabolic abnormalities or diseases by different perceived weight status.Results:A significant negative effect of BF%was observed on Physical Functioning(PF),whereas a positive effect was found on Mental Health(MH).Compared to individuals who were consistently normal weight,individuals who were always overweight/obese had significantly higher scores in MH scale.Only 58.2%subjects could correctly perceive their weight status.Approximately 80%of obese subjects under-perceived their weight status.Obese subjects reported lower physical but higher mental HRQoL scores than those of normal weight.However,Subjects perceiving themselves as obese reported much worse HRQoL on both physical and mental scales than those perceiving themselves as being of normal weight.Among subjects correctly perceiving their weight status,obese subjects reported worse HRQoL,while among those misperceiving their weight status,obese subjects reported better HRQoL,especially for mental scales.However,these two groups of subjects experienced similar odds of having chronic metabolic conditions and diseases.Conclusion:The association between measured weight status and HRQoL was moderated by the inaccuracy of subjects’ weight perception.Our findings suggest practitioners should educate the obese tending to under-perceiving their weight status to accurately perceive their weight status and to manage their weight to prevent future chronic diseases.