The Relationship between Health-related quality of life and body mass index among Palestinian Dietetic Center Clients

Quality of life (QOL) is defined as individuals' assessment of their position based on the values and culture of their living environment and their aspirations, expectations, concerns, and standards. It has been reported that obesity harms individuals' QOL. Several studies on the relationship between BMI and health-related quality of life (HRQL) have been conducted in various populations. However, such research has not been conducted in the Palestinian context. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between BMI and HRQL among five hundred and nine (509) clients visiting the "Nutri Health" centers for weight control. The Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey was used to assess HRQL (health-related quality of life). The Spearsman's rho correlation test, multiple linear regression, and the Kruskal-Wallis mean rank test were employed to examine the relationship between HRQL domain scores and BMI. The study's results revealed that BMI was significantly associated with the general perception of the health domain, two physical HRQL domains (physical functioning and pain), and just one mental HRQL domain (i.e., energy/vitality). In conclusion, BMI affected more physical domains of HRQL than cognitive domains in the study sample, and physical functioning was the most affected domain.