RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Heaviness, health and happiness: a cross-sectional study of 163066 UK Biobank participants
JF Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
JO J Epidemiol Community Health
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 340
OP 348
DO 10.1136/jech-2013-203077
VO 68
IS 4
A1 Zia Ul-Haq
A1 Daniel F Mackay
A1 Daniel Martin
A1 Daniel J Smith
A1 Jason M R Gill
A1 Barbara I Nicholl
A1 Breda Cullen
A1 Jonathan Evans
A1 Beverly Roberts
A1 Ian J Deary
A1 John Gallacher
A1 Matthew Hotopf
A1 Nick Craddock
A1 Jill P Pell
YR 2014
UL http://jech.bmj.com/content/68/4/340.abstract
AB Background Obesity is known to increase the risk of many diseases and reduce overall quality of life. This study examines the relationship with self-reported health (SRH) and happiness. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of the 163 066 UK Biobank participants who completed the happiness rating. The association between adiposity and SRH and happiness was examined using logistic regression. SRH was defined as good (excellent, good), or poor (fair, poor). Self-reported happiness was defined as happy (extremely, very, moderately) or unhappy (moderately, very, extremely). Results Poor health was reported by 44 457 (27.3%) participants. The adjusted ORs for poor health were 3.86, 2.92, 2.60 and 6.41 for the highest, compared with lowest, deciles of Body Mass Index, waist circumference, waist to hip ratio and body fat percent, respectively. The associations were stronger in men (p<0.001). Overall, 7511 (4.6%) participants felt unhappy, and only class III obese participants were more likely to feel unhappy (adjusted OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.53, p<0.001) but the associations differed by sex (p<0.001). Among women, there was a significant association between unhappiness and all levels of obesity. By contrast, only class III obese men had significantly increased risk and overweight and class I obese men were less likely to be unhappy. Conclusions Obesity impacts adversely on happiness as well as health, but the association with unhappiness disappeared after adjustment for self-reported health, indicating this may be mediated by health. Compared with obese men, obese women are less likely to report poor health, but more likely to feel unhappy.