The Effect of Obesity, Hypertension and Diabetes on Health-related Quality of Life among the Elderly in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province

Aims: This study explores the cumulative effects of cardiovascular risk factors on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) among the elderly.

Study Design: Our study comprises a cross-sectional design.

Place and Duration of Study: The Nov 2021 population-based research represents the Saudi Eastern Province population aged 60 years and above.

Methodology: Information was collected through home-based personal interviews using a structured questionnaire on the participants' health. The participants provided informed verbal consent. On each scale of the SF-36 questionnaire, multiple linear regression examined the relationships between obesity, hypertension, diabetes and HRQL after adjusting for sociodemographic data and lifestyle factors.

Results: Diabetes and hypertension registered the worst HRQL among males on all the scales (‒53.8 to ‒22.0 points according to the scale) in the two-factor cluster and male clusters except social functioning and role-emotional. Obesity and diabetes registered the worst HRQL on all the scales (–24.4 to –40.4 points according to the scale) in the two-factor female cluster except physical functioning, bodily pain and general health, and on all scales in female clusters except physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, social functioning and role-emotional.

Conclusion: Our study shows that obesity, hypertension and diabetes (as separate factors and in combination) negatively affect HRQL.