Assistant Professor, Department of Midwifery, TeMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , shishehgarf@yahoo.com
Abstract: (16 Views)
Background: Obesity is a health and medical issue in societies that endangers physical and mental health. The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of a 16-week low-calorie diet on the quality of life and self-esteem of obese or overweight women. The present study hypothesizes that a reduction in body mass will result in an enhancement in the mean score of quality of life and self-esteem. Materials and methods: It was a quasi-experimental, pre-test-post-test design for 16 weeks. 116 overweight or obese women were prescribed a low-calorie diet. Anthropometric assessments, dietary intake (using a 24-hour food recall), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form, the Persian version of the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire were assessed at baseline and 16 weeks after the intervention. Results: The percentage of weight loss in comparison to the initial weight was 7 ± 3.62%. Following the intervention, a significant increase was observed in the scores of the physical domains of quality of life, Physical Health Summary Scale (PCS), and Vitality (VT) (P<0.001). A weight reduction of 5% or more was found to be associated with a significant change in the mean score of self-esteem and the physical domains of quality of life (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that moderate weight loss can significantly improve the quality of life and self-esteem of obese women, even if they do not achieve their ideal weight. Therefore, interventions should emphasize the importance of maintaining lifestyle changes.
Shishehgar F. The effect of weight loss due to a low-calorie diet on the quality of life and self-esteem of overweight or obese Iranian women: a quasi-experimental intervention study. MEDICAL SCIENCES 2026; 36 (3) :321-333 URL: http://tmuj.iautmu.ac.ir/article-1-2427-en.html