Conclusions The BODY-Q provides a set of independently functioning scales that measure issues important to patients who undergo weight loss .
BODY-Q scales were responsive to measuring clinical change associated with weight loss 2 years after bariatric surgery
Background Recent systematic review s have identified that current patient-reported outcome instruments have content limitations when used to measure change following bariatric surgery .
The aim of this study was to measure change after bariatric surgery using the BODY-Q , a PRO instrument design ed for weight loss and body contouring .
Development of a brief measure to assess quality of life in obesity.
OBJECTIVE Obesity research ers have a growing interest in measuring the impact of weight and weight reduction on quality of life . The Impact of Weight on  Quality of Life question naire ( IWQOL ) was the first self-report instrument specifically developed to assess the effect of obesity on quality of life . Although the IWQOL has demonstrated excellent psychometric properties , its length ( 74 items ) makes it somewhat cumbersome as an outcome measure in clinical research . This report describes the development of a 31-item version of the IWQOL ( IWQOL-Lite ) . RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES IWQOLs from 996 obese patients and controls were used to develop the IWQOL-Lite . Psychometric properties of the IWQOL-Lite were examined in a separate cross-validation sample of 991 patients and controls . RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis provided strong support for the adequacy of the scale structure . The five identified scales of the IWQOL-Lite  ( Physical Function , Self-Esteem , Sexual Life , Public Distress , and Work ) and the total IWQOL-Lite score demonstrated excellent psychometric properties . The reliability of the IWQOL-Lite scales ranged from 0.90 to 0.94 and was 0.96 for the total score . Correlations between the IWQOL-Lite and collateral measures supported the construct validity of the IWQOL-Lite . Changes in  IWQOL-Lite scales over time correlated significantly with changes in weight , supporting its sensitivity to change . Significant differences in IWQOL-Lite scale and total scores were found among groups differing in body mass index , supporting the utility of the IWQOL-Lite across the body mass index spectrum . DISCUSSION The IWQOL-Lite appears to be a psychometrically sound and clinical ly sensitive brief measure of quality of life in obese persons
Conclusions The BODY-Q provides a set of independently functioning scales that measure issues important to patients who undergo weight loss .
BODY-Q scales were responsive to measuring clinical change associated with weight loss 2 years after bariatric surgery
Background Recent systematic review s have identified that current patient-reported outcome instruments have content limitations when used to measure change following bariatric surgery .
The aim of this study was to measure change after bariatric surgery using the BODY-Q , a PRO instrument design ed for weight loss and body contouring .