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The longitudinal association between weight change and health-related quality of life: the KORA S4/F4 cohort study

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Objectives

Despite the increasing importance of patient-centered perspectives, the impact of weight change on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) has remained unclear. This work aims to investigate this longitudinal relationship.

Methods

Data was collected from a population-based cohort study of 3,080 Germans. Anthropometrics and HRQL were assessed at baseline and after a 7-year follow-up period. Using linear regression the average change in HRQL scores was calculated among 5 mutually exclusive weight change groups. Multilevel growth modeling was conducted to differentiate between interpersonal (cross-sectional) and intrapersonal (longitudinal) associations between body mass index (BMI)/BMI change and HRQL.

Results

Heavy weight gain (≥10 % body weight) was associated with impairments in physical health among women (−2.82 points, CI: −4.29, −1.34) and obese men (−4.33 points, CI: −7.62, −1.04) and with improvements in mental health among women (+3.20 points, CI: +1.37, +5.02). Results from the multilevel models were consistent, showing negative associations between BMI change and physical health, positive associations between BMI change and mental health and a high degree of similarity between interpersonal and intrapersonal associations.

Conclusions

Weight gain leads to clinically relevant impairments in physical health. More research is needed to clarify the antipodal effects of weight change on physical and mental health components.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the German Competence Network Obesity, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Grant No. 01GI1127). The KORA research platform (KORA, Cooperative Research in the Region of Augsburg) was initiated and financed by the Helmholtz Zentrum München—German Research Centre for Environmental Health, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and by the State of Bavaria.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Neuherberg, Germany

    Michael Laxy, Rolf Holle & Matthias Hunger

  2. Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Epidemiology II, Neuherberg, Germany

    Angela Döring & Annette Peters

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  1. Michael Laxy
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  2. Rolf Holle
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  3. Angela Döring
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  4. Annette Peters
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  5. Matthias Hunger
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Correspondence to Michael Laxy.

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Laxy, M., Holle, R., Döring, A. et al. The longitudinal association between weight change and health-related quality of life: the KORA S4/F4 cohort study. Int J Public Health 59, 279–288 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0506-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-013-0506-x

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