Women happier when they gain weight, even though they are not as healthy, study suggests

Scientists from the Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) and from the Institute of Epidemiology II (EPI II) discovered that weight gain leads to deterioration in physical health. Female study participants, however, experienced improved mental quality of life as their weight increased, a result that was observed even in women who were already overweight when the study began. For this study, Professor Dr. Rolf Holle, Michael Laxy and their team evaluated data from the population-based longitudinal KORA study on the association between body weight and health-related quality of life. Over a period of seven years, the weight of more than 3000 people was measured, the body-mass index (BMI) was calculated and the health-related quality of life was assessed on the basis of a standardized questionnaire.

"The results show that the influence of body weight on physical and mental health is complex," Holle explains. "However, the understanding of these associations is crucial for developing medically effective and cost-effective strategies to prevent and manage obesity. The challenge is to prevent weight gain and its harmful health consequences, such as diabetes, while simultaneously structuring the programmes in such a way that they counteract impairments in mental well-being. In this context, also gender-specific approaches should be considered," the head of the Economic Evaluation workgroup at IGM concludes.

Around sixty percent of the adult population in Germany is affected by overweight and obesity. The objective of the Helmholtz Zentrum München is to develop new approaches to diagnose, treat and prevent major widespread diseases.