Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Obesity
Summary
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the context of paediatric obesity encompasses the physical, psychological and social domains of well-being as perceived by children and adolescents. Excess weight in young people often leads to diminished physical functioning—such as limited mobility or fatigue—alongside heightened risk of emotional difficulties, stigma and social isolation. This multidimensional impact can impair school performance, peer relationships and family dynamics, while also interacting with metabolic and cardiometabolic risk factors. Globally, rising rates of childhood obesity have prompted a shift towards evaluating interventions not only by weight change but by improvements in HRQoL. Recognising the individual and societal burden of diminished quality of life has informed more holistic prevention and treatment programmes, integrating psychological support, behaviour change techniques and tailored physical activity. By capturing patient-centred outcomes, HRQoL measures guide clinicians, educators and policymakers in designing strategies that address both health status and everyday functioning, ultimately aiming to foster resilience, social inclusion and long-term well-being.
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Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Obesity publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in health-related quality of life in pediatric obesity across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A patient-centred measure encompassing physical, psychological and social functioning as experienced by an individual.
Body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS): An age- and sex-adjusted metric expressing how far an individual’s BMI deviates from a reference population mean.
KIDSCREEN-27: A validated questionnaire for assessing five dimensions of paediatric HRQoL, including physical well-being, psychological well-being, autonomy and parent relations, social support and school environment.
Psychosocial well-being: The composite of mental health status and social functioning, including emotional regulation, behavioural adaptation and quality of interpersonal relationships.
References
- Changes in health-related quality of life and sleep habits after a 6-month non-randomised cluster-controlled trial among children with overweight or obesity. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2024).
- Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study. Obesity Facts (2023).
- Cardiometabolic risk factors and quality of life in severely obese children and adolescents in the Netherlands. BMC Pediatrics (2013).
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