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BackgroundAgainst a backdrop of population aging and improving survival rates for chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCD), researchers are placing growing emphasis on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to identify the QoL assessment instruments used in population-based studies with adults conducted around the world.MethodsA systematic review of original research published in all languages between 2008 and 2018 was conducted. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were excluded.ResultsSixty-three articles (38.1% conducted in the Americas) fitted the eligibility criteria. Based on the AHRQ checklist for cross-sectional studies and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for cohort studies, methodological quality was shown to be fair in the majority of studies (55.6%) and good in 44.4%. The country with the highest number of publications was Brazil (20.6%). Twelve types of generic instruments and 11 specific instruments were identified. The generic instrument SF-36 was the most frequently used measure (33.3% of studies). In-home interviewing was exclusively used by 47.6% of the studies, while 39 studies (61.9%) reported the use of self-administered questionnaires. Over two-thirds of the studies (34.9%) used questionnaires to investigate the association between chronic diseases and/or associated factors.ConclusionsIt was concluded that the wide range of instruments and modes of questionnaire administration used by the studies may hinder comparisons between population groups with the same characteristics or needs. There is a lack of research on QoL and the factors affecting productive capacity. Studies of QoL in older persons should focus not only on the effects of disease and treatment, but also on the determinants of active aging and actions designed to promote it. Further research is recommended to determine which QoL instruments are best suited for population-based studies.

Background Adolescents with overweight and obesity report various motivations for weight loss other than the desire for better health. However, there is little evidence regarding the main motivations for weight loss in adolescents. The present systematic review aimed to identify the motivations for weight loss in adolescents with overweight and obesity. Methods A systematic search for original articles published up to December 2016 was carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, and ADOLEC databases. The terms used in the search were: motivation, motive, reason, “weight loss,” “lose weight,” and adolescent. Results Six studies (all cross-sectional) met the selection criteria and were included in the review. The instruments used to assess the participants’ motivations for weight loss were interviews and questionnaires with open questions. Seventeen motivations for weight loss were identified, the main ones being better health, esthetic/cosmetic reasons, improvements in self-esteem, and avoidance of provocation/bullying. Conclusions The results of the present review show the need for validated instruments to assess the motivations for weight loss in adolescents with overweight and obesity. Moreover, the high frequency of motivations for weight loss related to appearance and social acceptance evidences the need for multidisciplinary weight loss interventions that consider not only the biological factors, but also the psychological and social aspects.