Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Obesity-Related Quality of Life and Distorted Self-Body Image in Adults

  • Published:
Applied Research in Quality of Life Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Quality of life (QOL) is associated with body mass index (BMI). Self-awareness of false body image may influence the behavior of weight control and QOL. This study was conducted to identify the relationships between BMI and QOL, and distortion of self-estimated body image and its impact on QOL and the general health of Korean adults. A total of 229 adults who visited two university hospitals in Seoul and Chungju cities for regular health check-up responded to a questionnaire. To assess QOL, a Korean version of the obesity-related Quality of Life Scale (KOQOL) was used. The results showed that obesity-related quality of life decreased as BMI increased and as alcohol consumption became heavier. In the low weight and normal body weight groups, a portion of the groups had a more obese self-estimated body image than their actual BMI. In the overweight and obese groups, some had a leaner self-estimated body image than their actual BMI. Persons who had a self-body image of being fat had a low QOL. For Korean adults over 20 and under 65, a higher BMI is associated with a lower obesity-related quality of life. Persons who thought themselves fat had a lower QOL, regardless of their real body type.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albanes, D., Jones, D. Y., Marc, S. M., & Margaret, E. M. (1987). Associations between smoking and body weight in the US population: analysis of NHANES II. American Journal of Public Health, 77(4), 439–444.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brian, K. K., Cynthia, L. O., & Katherine, M. F. (2012). Prescription medication use among normal weight, overweight, and obese adults, United States, 2005–2008. Annals of Epidemiology, 22(2), 112–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruffaerts, R., Demyttenaere, K., Vilagut, G., Martinez, M., Bonnewyn, A., De Graaf, R., et al. (2008). The relation between body mass index, mental health, and functional disability: a European population perspective. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 53(10), 679–688.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carney, R. M., & Goldberg, A. P. (1984). Weight gain after cessation of cigarette smoking. A possible role for adipose-tissue lipoprotein lipase. New England Journal of Medicine, 310, 614–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chae, K. H., Won, C. W., Choi, H. R., & Kim, B. S. (2010). Obesity indices and obesity-related quality of life in adults 65 years and older. Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, 31, 530–546.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eshuis, E. J., Polle, S. W., Slors, J. F., Hommes, D. W., Sprangers, M. A., et al. (2008). Long-term surgical recurrence, morbidity, quality of life, and body image of laparoscopic-assisted vs. open ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease: a comparative study. Disease of the Colon and Rectum, 51(6), 858–867.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flegal, K. M., Carroll, M. D., Ogden, C. L., & Johnson, C. L. (2002). Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2000. Journal of the American Medical Association, 288(14), 1723–1727.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fontaine, K. R., Bartlett, S. J., & Barofsky, I. (2000). Health-related quality of life among obese persons seeking and not currently seeking treatment. The International Journal of Eating Disorders, 27, 101–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freedman, D. M., Sigurdson, A. J., Rajaraman, P., Doody, M. M., Linet, M. S., & Ron, E. (2006). The mortality risk of smoking and obesity combined. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Nov, 31(5), 355–362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, T. S., Tijhuis, M. A., Lean, M. E., & Seidell, J. C. (1998). Quality of life in relation to overweight and body fat distribution. American Journal of Public Health, December, 88(12), 1814–1820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hannuksela, M. L., Ramet, M. E., Nissinen, A. E., Liisanantti, M. K., & Savolainen, M. J. (2004). Effects of ethanol on lipids and atherosclerosis. Pathophysiology, 10, 93–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardy, R., Wadsowrth, M., & Kuh, D. (2000). The influence of childhood weight and socioeconomic status change in adult body mass index in a British national birth cohort. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 24(6), 725–734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herzog, D. B., & Copeland, P. M. (1985). Eating disorders. The New England Journal of Medicine, 313, 295–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawachi, I. (1999). Physical and psychological consequences of weight gain. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 60(Suppl 21), 5–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y. J., & Kim, K. S. (2004). Body image, self esteem and quality of life in grown-up congenital heart patients. Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing, Dec, 7(2), 127–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolotkin, R. L., Head, S., & Brookhart, A. (1997). Construct validity of the impact of weight on quality of life questionnaire. Obesity Research, 5, 434–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kolotkin, R. L., Crosby, R. D., Kosloski, K. D., & Williams, G. R. (2001). Development of a brief measure to assess quality of life in obesity. Obesity Research, 9, 102–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). The Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). Seoul: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwon, J. D., Kim, B. T., Kim, K. M., Park, S. B., Kim, E., Chang, C. S., et al. (2010). The relationship between cigarette smoking and obesity in the adolescents. Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, 31, 369–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahti-Koski, M., Pietinen, P., Heliovaara, M., & Vartiainen, E. (2002). Associations of body mass index and obesity with physical activity, food choices, alcohol intake, and smoking in the 1982–1997 FINRISK Studies. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75, 809–817.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Pen, C., Levy, E., Loos, F., Banzet, M. N., & Basdevant, A. (1998). “Specific” scale compared with “generic” scale: a double measurement of the quality of life in a French community sample of obese subjects. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 52, 445–450.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, K. Y., & Cho, B. M. (2002). The association between body weight and hypertension according to smoking status in male workers. Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, 23, 613–619.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, Y. T., Park, Y. W., Kim, C. H., Shin, H. C., & Kim, J. W. (2001). Effect of weight loss on health-related quality of life in obese patients. Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, 22, 556–564.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyratzopoulos, G., McElduff, P., Heller, R. F., Hanily, M., & Lewis, P. S. (2005). Mid-term body mass index increase among obese and non-obese individuals in middle-life and deprivation status. BMC Public Health, 5, 32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannucci, E., Ricca, V., Barciulli, E., Di Bernardo, M., Travaglini, R., Cabras, P. L., et al. (1999). Quality of life and overweight: the obesity related well-being (Orwell 97) questionnaire. Addictive Behaviors, 24, 345–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchesini, G., Solaroli, E., Baraldi, L., Natale, S., Migliorini, S., Visani, F., et al. (2000). Health-related quality of life in obesity: The role of eating behavior. Diabetes Nutrition & Metabolism, 13(3), 156–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Must, A., Spadano, J., Coakley, E. H., Field, A. E., Colditz, G., & Dietz, W. H. (1999). The disease burden associated with overweight and obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282, 1523–1529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nam, H. W., Pyun, J. W., Woo, I. A., & Baek, M. S. (1999). A study on obesity and nutrition knowledge in male employees who have high educational background. Korean Journal of Food & Nutrition, 12(3), 312–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nam, S. I., Song, D. W., Ahn, B. H., Choi, D. H., & Sohn, J. S. (2001). Quality of life after treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. Korean Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 44(9), 973–981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, G. J., & Choi, J. S. (2008). Body image and quality of life in women with mastectomy. Journal of Korean Oncology Nursing, 8(2), 86–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, H. S., Lee, J. K., Shin, H. C., Park, Y. W., Lee, K. Y., Suh, Y. S., et al. (2003). Development of Korean version of obesity-related quality of life scale. Journal of Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, 12, 280–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhyu, M., Lee, S. H., Seo, H. G., & Park, H. S. (2003). A survey on perception of obesity in general population. Journal of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine, 24, 265–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salonen, J. T., Puska, P., Kottke, T. E., & Heinonen, O. P. (1981). Coronary risk factor clustering patterns in eastern finland. International Journal of Epidemiology, 10(3), 203–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sobal, J., & Stunkard, A. J. (1989). Socioeconomic status and obesity: a review of the literature. Psychological Bulletin, 105(2), 260–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, C. J., & Colditz, G. A. (2004). The epidemic of obesity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 89, 2522–2525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan, M., Karlsson, J., Sjöström, L., Backman, L., Bengtsson, C., Bouchard, C., et al. (1993). Swedish obese subjects (SOS)--an intervention study of obesity. Baseline evaluation of health and psychosocial functioning in the first 1743 subjects examined. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 17, 503–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Testa, M. A., & Simonson, D. C. (1996). Assessment of quality of life outcome. Neu England Journal of Medicine, 334(13), 835–840.

    Google Scholar 

  • Twardella, D., Loew, M., Rothenbacher, D., Stegmaier, C., Ziegler, H., & Brenner, H. (2006). The impact of body weight on smoking cessation in German adults. Preventive Medicine, 42(2), 109–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wakabayashi, I. (2011). Increased body mass index modifies associations between alcohol intake and blood cholesterol profile. European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 42(2), 179–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. Obesity. (1998). Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation on obesity. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Hwayang-dong 4-12, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 143-729

    Dong Won Lee, Seonah Kim & Dong Yung Cho

Authors
  1. Dong Won Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Seonah Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Dong Yung Cho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong Yung Cho.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, D.W., Kim, S. & Cho, D.Y. Obesity-Related Quality of Life and Distorted Self-Body Image in Adults. Applied Research Quality Life 8, 87–100 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9174-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-012-9174-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation