Obesity – a determinant affecting the quality of life

Abstract

Obesity is a preventable disease; however, in recent decades it has increasingly affected populations of both developed and developing countries. It is a complex condition involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity leads to structural and functional changes culminating in multiple organ-specific pathological complications that significantly influence morbidity as well as the quality and length of life. Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine which dimensions of quality of life are affected by obesity, to compare quality of life by gender, and to assess the relationship between quality of life and BMI among obese respondents. Materials and methods. The research sample consisted of 95 respondents, 49 women and 46 men, with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², aged 20–65 years, monitored at a center for body weight regulation. The largest proportion of respondents (n = 29) belonged to the 40–49 age group. Data were collected using the shortened version of the standardized questionnaire Impact of Weight on Quality of Life – Lite (IWQOL-Lite), consisting of 31 closed items. We evaluated quality of life in people with morbid obesity across five dimensions: physical functioning, self-esteem, sexual life, social relationships, public distress, and work. For each item, respondents selected the answer that best described their situation during the past week. Responses were rated on a five-point Likert scale: always, usually, sometimes, rarely, never. Anthropometric data were obtained using the InBody 230 bioimpedance device. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics included absolute (f) and relative (%) frequencies, arithmetic mean (M), standard deviation (SD), median (Mdn), minimum (min), and maximum (max). Within inferential statistics, we applied tests to compare and examine relationships between variables. Prior to selecting the appropriate test, we assessed data distribution using normality tests (skewness, kurtosis). To determine differences between two groups, we used Student’s t-test for independent samples, and to examine relationships, we employed Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results. Differences in overall quality of life were found between obese men and women, with men reporting a higher quality of life (M = 99.59) compared to women (M = 111.2). Significant differences were also identified in the dimensions of self-esteem, sexual life, and work. No statistically significant difference was observed in physical functioning between genders (p = 0.8). In self-esteem, a significant difference was confirmed (p < 0.001), with men reporting higher self-esteem (M = 13.43, SD = 7.25) than women (M = 20.1, SD = 5.6). In sexual life, men also reported better quality of life (M = 10.17, SD = 4.54) compared to women (M = 12, SD = 3.43). Sexual dysfunction was confirmed in the overall sample (n = 95). In the work dimension, statistically significant differences were found (p = 0.017), with obese men reporting higher quality of life (M = 9.8, SD = 3.04) than obese women (M = 11.2, SD = 2.66). Among men (n = 46), data analysis revealed that higher BMI values were associated with lower quality of life across all dimensions except self-esteem. Among women (n = 49), higher BMI values were associated with lower quality of life in physical functioning, with BMI explaining 39.44% of the variance in this dimension. A moderately strong negative relationship was found between BMI and the quality-of-life dimensions of social relationships and public distress. No significant associations were found between BMI and selfesteem (p = 0.642), sexual life (p = 0.904), or work (p = 0.951). Conclusions. The prevalence of obesity continues to rise across all age groups and significantly affects both health and quality of life, underscoring the urgent need for effective preventive measures.