Association Between Health-Related Quality of Life, Obesity, Fitness, and Sleep Quality in Young Adults: The Cuenca Adult Study

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to examine in university students: (a) the mean differences in the HRQoL among fat mass percentage, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and sleep quality categories; and (b) the independent associations among fat mass percentage, CRF, and sleep quality with HRQoL. PARTICIPANTS: 376 students, 18-30 years old, from the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain (during 2009-2010). METHOD: Cross-sectional study measuring % fat mass (DXA), CRF (20-m shuttle run test), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and HRQoL (SF-12 questionnaire). RESULTS: The mean in Mental Component Summary (MCS) in men (p = .029) was lower in students in upper quartiles of % fat mass than in peers in other categories of % fat mass. Among men, MCS was significantly lower among those in the lowest quartile of CRF (p = .015), and among women, Physical Component Summary (PCS) was significantly lower among those in the lowest quartile of CRF (p = .047). MCS dimension of the HRQoL was lower in both men (p = .001) and women (p < .001) in upper quartiles of sleep quality. Multiple linear regression models showed that in men, CRF was associated with MCS (β = 0.25, p = .031), and sleep quality was associated with PCS (β = -0.24, p = .027) and MCS (β = -0.38, p < .001). In women, CRF was associated with PCS (β = 0.17, p = .018) and sleep quality with MCS (β= -0.44, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Finally, our findings suggest that, regardless of adiposity and fitness, having good sleep habits may positively influence the quality of life in young adults.