الفهرس 
Medical Aspects of ObesityOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a dramatic rise in the prevalence of obesity worldwide, stimulating interest in the health and quality of life consequences of this phenomenon. Numerous studies have demonstrated that obese persons experience significant impairments in quality of life as a result of their obesity, with greater impairments associated with greater degrees of obesity, as well as increased morbidity & mortality.
Self-perception of body weight is of great importance, where subjects with appropriate self-perception can seek medical advice regarding their weight control, and those subjects have better chance of responding to life-style changes in weight control programs.
The aim of this study was to evaluate quality of life & self-perception among obese Egyptian individuals.
Our study was conducted on 300 subjects, from June 2013 to October 2013. They were divided into 2 groups; group 1: 200 obese individuals (100 males & 100 females), group 2: 100 normal-weight individuals (50 males & 50 females).
All selected individuals were subjected to full medical history taking, body mass index (BMI) calculation, calculation of waist-hip ratio, provision of WHO quality of life questionnaire to each individual, in native Arabic language and asking about self-perception of body weight (obesity).
Results showed that quality of life among obese individuals was lower than that of normal-weight control group. Majority of obese individuals (65%) showed poor quality of life (category C). while majority of normal-weight control group (56%) showed good quality of life (category A).
When comparing quality of life categories & total score among obese individuals & normal weight control group, there was high statistical difference between the two groups. (p-value <0.001). However on comparing self-perception appropriateness among obese individuals & control group, there was non-significant statistical difference. (p-value=0.624)
There was significant negative correlation between quality of life total score of obese individuals and their BMI, waist circumference & hip circumference.
There was high statistical significant difference between male & female obese individuals regarding their appropriate self-perception of their body weight. 74 % of obese females perceived themselves as ”over-weight”, while only 26 % showed appropriate self-perception; perceiving themselves as ”obese”. While 80 % of male obese individuals perceived themselves as ”obese” & only 20 % had inappropriate self-perception.
In the 200 obese individuals, there was high statistical significant difference between those who had appropriate self-perception of their body weight & those who had inappropriate self-perception, regarding their quality of life. Obese individuals having inappropriate self-perception, showed better quality of life than those having appropriate self-perception.
When comparing total male to total female participants (including both normal weight control group & obese individuals), there was high statistical significant difference, regarding appropriateness of their self-perception. Female participants had higher incidence of self-perception inappropriateness, than male participants.