Understanding the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life and Willingness to Pay for Obesity Management in the <scp>APAC</scp> Region

Overweight and obesity are estimated to affect more than 40% of adults in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This study used a cross-sectional online survey to assess the impact of obesity on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) using the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life (IWQOL)-Lite instrument and willingness to pay for obesity management among adults with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18 kg/m² in Australia, India and South Korea. A total of 2952 adults completed the survey. Most respondents (82%) were concerned with their weight, increasing with obesity class. Rated on a scale of 0-100 (worst to best quality of life), the mean (SD) overall IWQOL-Lite score was 61 (30) with no differences by gender. The mean lowest score was in the self-esteem domain, with female respondents reporting greater impairment than male respondents (47 vs. 53, p < 0.05). Total IWQOL-Lite and domain scores declined with increasing weight class (mean of 81 for individuals with normal weight to 35 for those with Obesity Class III). Of the 1752 individuals living with obesity, 80% would be willing to pay USD $25 per month for a weight loss method requiring minimal/moderate changes to diet, exercise and lifestyle that would enable them to achieve weight loss in 1 year; nearly half were willing to pay USD $225 per month. Our study highlights the negative impact of weight on the HRQOL of individuals in three APAC countries and the willingness to pay to achieve weight loss.