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Impaired parent-reported quality of life in treatment-seeking children with obesity is mediated by high levels of psychopathology

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the current study was to explore psychopathology as a mediator of quality of life (QOL) in children and adolescents with obesity. The notion that psychopathology and QOL are two distinct constructs was also tested.

Methods

A sample of treatment-seeking children and adolescents with obesity (n = 185, average age = 11.5, mean BMI SDS = 3.03) was matched to a community sample of children (n = 799, average age = 11.5). Both self- and parent-reported measures of QOL (KINDL-R) and psychopathology (CBCL/YSR) was completed.

Results

Parent-reported QOL was impaired, and both self-reported and parent-reported psychopathology was elevated in children and adolescents with obesity. Psychopathology accounted for all the variance of the effect of obesity on parent-reported QOL. The distinction between QOL and psychopathology was supported through confirmatory factor analysis.

Conclusion

Impaired parent-reported QOL in children and adolescents with obesity was attributable to their elevated levels of psychopathology.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all children and parents contributing to the current study. We are also grateful to our colleagues at the St. Olavs Hospital, Siv Tone Natland, Marte Volden, Tove Drilen and Siv Sagflått, and our colleagues at NTNU, Elisabeth Solheim and Trude H. Sveen.

Funding

This work was supported by the Liaison Committee for Central Norway Regional Health Authority; the National Council of Mental Health/Health and Rehabilitation, NTNU; and St. Olavs Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Dragvoll, 7491, Trondheim, Norway

    Silje Steinsbekk & Lars Wichstrøm

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, 7433, Trondheim, Norway

    Silje Steinsbekk & Thomas Jozefiak

  3. Regional Center of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), MTFS, 7489, Trondheim, Norway

    Thomas Jozefiak

  4. Department of Pediatrics, St. Olavs Hospital, Olav Kyrres gt 17, 7030, Trondheim, Norway

    Rønnaug Ødegård

  5. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s Health, 7433, Trondheim, Norway

    Rønnaug Ødegård

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  1. Silje Steinsbekk
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  2. Thomas Jozefiak
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  3. Rønnaug Ødegård
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  4. Lars Wichstrøm
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Correspondence to Silje Steinsbekk.

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Steinsbekk, S., Jozefiak, T., Ødegård, R. et al. Impaired parent-reported quality of life in treatment-seeking children with obesity is mediated by high levels of psychopathology. Qual Life Res 18, 1159–1167 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9535-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-009-9535-6

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