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“ Interactions Between Obesity and Sleep Apnea Among the risk factors for OSA, obesity is probably the most important. Several cross-sectional studies have cons

“ Interactions Between Obesity and Sleep Apnea Among the risk factors for OSA, obesity is probably the most important. Several cross-sectional studies have consistently found an association between increased body weight and the risk of OSA.16 Significant sleep apnea is present in ≈40% of obese individuals,17 and ≈70% of OSA patients are obese. Furthermore, in a population-based prospective study of 690 randomly selected Wisconsin residents, a 10% weight gain was associated with a 6-fold increase in the odds of development of sleep apnea (Figure 4).18 In the same study, a 10% weight loss predicted a 26% decrease in the apnea-hypopnea index (Figure 4). Similarly, in several other case-control studies, weight loss in OSA patients led to a significant decrease in apnea frequency.1” https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.hyp.0000101686.98973.a3 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.hyp.00001016...

schwartzworld 3y ago
> In the same study, a 10% weight loss predicted a 26% decrease in the apnea-hypopnea index This isn't as earth shaking as you imagine. The minimum AHI for diagnosis (in the US) IS 5. 20ahi (meaning you stop breathing 20 times per hour on average), is pretty mild. Some people have ahi over 100. Meaning a 26% decrease isn't actually doing much for you. What I can tell you is that I know several people who seem to have sleep apnea, complaining about the symptoms, who were told by their PCP that they don't need a sleep study because they weren't fat. When your partner complains about you choking in your sleep all night, you probably should a get it checked out regardless of your BMI. I honestly believe that doing a sleep study once every couple of years should be considered routine for everyone. We check our eyes, blood pressure, testicles, skin... Why not check for sleep quality prophylactically? I'm not saying you're wrong, but the OP using the condition as proof of societal causes of sleep issues is way off the mark. Skinny people can experience it. Children experience it. Bodybuilders are quite prone to it. As tissues loosen and sag with age across the body, old people are prone to it.

schwartzworld 3y ago

> In the same study, a 10% weight loss predicted a 26% decrease in the apnea-hypopnea index This isn't as earth shaking as you imagine. The minimum AHI for diagnosis (in the US) IS 5. 20ahi (meaning you stop breathing 20 times per hour on average), is pretty mild. Some people have ahi over 100. Meaning a 26% decrease isn't actually doing much for you. What I can tell you is that I know several people who seem to have sleep apnea, complaining about the symptoms, who were told by their PCP that they don't need a sleep study because they weren't fat. When your partner complains about you choking in your sleep all night, you probably should a get it checked out regardless of your BMI. I honestly believe that doing a sleep study once every couple of years should be considered routine for everyone. We check our eyes, blood pressure, testicles, skin... Why not check for sleep quality prophylactically? I'm not saying you're wrong, but the OP using the condition as proof of societal causes of sleep issues is way off the mark. Skinny people can experience it. Children experience it. Bodybuilders are quite prone to it. As tissues loosen and sag with age across the body, old people are prone to it.