Obesity is defined as excess body fat versus lean mass, and it is classified as a chronic noncommunicable disease. This condition is associated with a broad array of complications, including cardiovascular, endocrine-metabolic, and orthopedic issues as well as breathing, sleep, and psychological disorders, among others 1 . Psychosocial disorders related to obesity include anxiety, depression, anguish, low self-esteem, guilt feelings, social adjustment problems, and behavioral/conduct disorders. These disorders can constitute the cause or effect of the weight gain process and negatively impact on quality of life (QL) 2,3 .Studies have found that lack of physical activity, poor diet, high consumption of processed foods, low intake of fruit, vegetables and legumes as well as frequent computer, videogame and television use, are strongly associated with the development of obesity and reduced total sleep time 4,5 . An important theme underpinning these investigations centers on the relationship between sleep disorders and cultural and familial
ABSTRACTObesity and sleep disorders in adolescence are strongly associated, and they impact both on the health and on quality of life (QL) in this age group. Objective: To comparatively assess QL and sleep in obese and eutrophic adolescents, who are older than ten years of age. Methods: Cross-sectional study including obese adolescents. This analysis was carried out between August 2009 and August 2010. The Control (eutrophic) Group comprised schoolchildren recruited from State schools in the city of Americana, in São Paulo State, Brazil. Instruments applied included a standardized questionnaire, the Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ), and the Pediatric QL Inventory (PedsQL TM 4.0). Results: The obese adolescents had poorer QL on physical (p<0.001), emotional (p=0.03), and social (p=0.002) functioning domains. A difference in mean psychosocial functioning was found between the groups (p=0.009) with obese subjects having a mean score of 69.5 (±16.0) and in eutrophic individuals of 76.2 (±16.7). A greater number of sleep problems was evident in the Obese Group (p=0.03). Conclusions: The obese adolescents had an impaired QL and a higher frequency of sleep problems compared to the eutrophic subjects.Key words: sleep, adolescents, obesity, quality of life.
RESUMOObesidade e distúrbios do sono na adolescência estão amplamente associados, afetando a saúde e a qualidade de vida (QV) de tal grupo etário. Objetivo: Foi avaliar comparando a QV e o sono em adolescentes obesos e eutróficos maiores de dez anos. Métodos: Estudo transversal realizado entre agosto de 2009 e agosto de 2010, com adolescentes obesos. O Grupo Controle (eutróficos) foi constituído por estudantes da rede pública de ensino da cidade de Americana, em São Paulo. Foram utilizados ficha de identificação, Questionário do Comportamento do Sono (SBQ), Questionário de QV (PedsQL TM 4.0) como instrumentos. Resultados: Os adolescentes obesos apresentaram QV inferior à dos controles nos domínios físico (p<0,001), emocional (p=0,0...