Impaired health-related quality of life in preschoolers with obesity.

OBJECTIVES To examine whether health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for treatment-seeking preschoolers with obesity (N = 60) differed from preschoolers in a nonclinical comparison sample (N = 457). METHODS Parents in both samples completed the parent-proxy form of the pediatric quality of life inventory (PedsQL). Between-group comparisons were conducted to examine differences for all scales and summary scores of the PedsQL. RESULTS Parent proxy-reported HRQOL was significantly lower for treatment-seeking preschoolers with obesity for all scales and summary scores except school functioning. Differences on the total scale score met the criterion for being a clinically important difference. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests treatment-seeking families perceive worse HRQOL for children with obesity as early as the preschool years. Discussion of HRQOL may be a more effective strategy for health care professionals in broaching the topic of weight with parents and identifying families who may be more receptive to weight management suggestions for preschoolers.