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Parent-proxy perception of overweight adolescents' health-related quality of life is different according to adolescent gender and age and parent gender

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Abstract

This study assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) reported by overweight adolescents and compared to their parent-proxy perception of HRQoL, according to adolescent gender, adolescent age, and parent gender. Patients and a total of 179 adolescents aged 10 to 18 years with excess weight were evaluated for perceived HRQoL prior to beginning a weight-loss intervention, using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0) questionnaire, estimating quality of life in the physical, emotional, social, and school domains, as well as index measures of psychosocial and overall quality of life. Parents completed the same questionnaire estimating his or her child's HRQoL. Compared to their child's self-report, parents underestimated all the domains of HRQoL except the school domain. Parents underestimated all the domains of HRQoL among boys; however, they only underestimated the physical domain among girls. Comparisons between parent-proxy perception and self-report of the adolescent according to adolescent's age revealed that parents underestimated their children's HRQoL in the younger adolescents (10 to 13 years) for all except for the school domain and underestimated only the physical domain in older adolescents (14 to 18 years). The same comparison between parent-proxy perception and their child's self-report of HRQoL according to parent gender showed that mothers underestimated HRQoL in all domains except for the school domain, while fathers only underestimated the school domain. Conclusion: The differences between self-report of overweight adolescent and perceptions of their parents about the HRQoL of their children are influenced by adolescent gender and age and parent gender.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the members of the Multiprofessional Nucleus of Obesity Treatment that contributed with data collection, the Araucaria Foundation and CAPES for their financial support, and Lana Vanderlee from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, for the assistance in English revision.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Education, Multiprofessional Nucleus of Obesity Study, State University of Maringa, Avenida Colombo, 5790, Jardim Universitário, Maringá, Paraná, 87020-900, Brazil

    Josiane Aparecida Alves Bianchini, Danilo Fernandes da Silva & Nelson Nardo Junior

  2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Multiprofessional Nucleus of Obesity Study, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Paraná, Brazil

    Claudia Christina Sanchez Nardo

  3. Department of Medicine, Multiprofessional Nucleus of Obesity Study, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Paraná, Brazil

    Idalina Diair Regla Carolino

  4. Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, Multiprofessional Nucleus of Obesity Study, State University of Maringa, Maringa, Paraná, Brazil

    Florencio Hernandes

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  1. Josiane Aparecida Alves Bianchini
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Correspondence to Josiane Aparecida Alves Bianchini.

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Bianchini, J.A.A., da Silva, D.F., Nardo, C.C.S. et al. Parent-proxy perception of overweight adolescents' health-related quality of life is different according to adolescent gender and age and parent gender. Eur J Pediatr 172, 1371–1377 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-013-2050-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-013-2050-3

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