Associations among Co-morbid Conditions, Health-Related Quality of Life and Self-Efficacy in Adults Seeking Weight Loss Treatment

Zheng, Yaguang

Overweight/obesity, a chronic condition affecting nearly 70% of U.S. adults, is associated with co-morbid conditions (e.g. osteoarthritis, hypertension) and may affect health-related quality of life (HR-QOL). We examined the effect of co-morbid conditions on self-efficacy for weight loss among treatment-seeking adults and the possible mediating effects of HR-QOL, depression and prescribed medications using baseline data from a clinical trial (SELF Trial) of standard behavioral treatment for weight loss. Measures included sociodemographic and medical history questionnaires, SF-36, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Weight Efficacy Lifestyle (WEL), a measure of self-efficacy for weight loss.

The sample (N=130) was predominantly White (71.5%), female (83.1%), middle-aged (53.0±9.6 years) with a BMI of 33.5±3.9 kg/m². The average number of self-reported co-morbid conditions was 2.88±2.17, range 0-10. The self-reported conditions were: hypercholesterolemia (52.3%), hypertension (33.1%), hypertriglyceridemia and digestive disorders (29.2%), and anxiety 21.6%, while over 10% reported heart problems, osteoarthritis and sleep-disordered breathing. On average, participants had 0.92 ±1.36 prescribed medications, range 0-7. Mean±SD scores were: BDI 7.25±7.26, WEL 99.52± 33.50; SF-36 Physical Component Score (PCS) 51.23±7.19 and Mental Component Score (MCS) 49.23±10.39. The number of co-morbid conditions was significantly negatively related to the PCS, r= -0.52, p<.01; however, there was no association with the MCS. The number of prescribed medications was negatively associated with the PCS (r= -0.39, p<.01) and weakly related to the MCS (r= 0.18, p=.04). The BDI was associated with PCS (r= -0 .23) and MCS (r= -0.69), ps≤.01. Self-efficacy (WEL) was associated with the BDI, r= -.24, p<.01. Co-morbid conditions did not affect self-efficacy for weight loss and there were no mediating effects of HR-QOL, depressive symptomatology and the number of prescribed medications.

Our findings confirm that overweight/obese individuals suffer from co-morbidities that affect their physical HR-QOL; however, these do not have a significant impact on their mental HR-QOL.