Losing weight through a
combination of diet and exercise can have long-term health benefits for those
with sleep apnea,
including preventing the progress of the condition and possibly lowering the
risks of some severe health problems associated with sleep apnea, according to
a recent study.
Nearly 20 million
Americans are thought to suffer from obstructive sleep
apnea (OSA), in which a person’s breathing stops repeatedly during sleep
and which has been linked to a heightened risk for heart attack, hypertension
and stroke. Sleep apnea is especially common among the obese, and a four-year
study in Finland focused on obese adults with mild sleep apnea and the effects
of lifestyle counseling, and dietary and fitness changes.
In the initial stages
of the study, researchers separated 81 obese adults with sleep apnea into two
groups: the first group underwent lifestyle counseling, exercised regularly and
switched to a low-calorie diet; the second group was given general diet and
physical activity information.
The study demonstrated
clear health benefits in those who received the lifestyle intervention. The
question was, Would the effects last?
After four years,
researchers followed up with 57 participants from the two groups. Those in the
intervention group were mostly successful in maintaining their weight-loss
while most of those in the comparison group had gained some weight.
Furthermore, none of
the intervention group’s participants had seen their sleep apnea progress to a
severe form of the condition. Twelve participants of the control group went
from mild to moderate sleep apnea, while two developed severe sleep apnea.
Obesity is one of the
main risk factors for OSA and other forms of sleep apnea, and those who are
both overweight and suffer from sleep apnea face an increased risk for
diabetes. The findings of this and other recent studies indicate that the
sooner people are diagnosed with sleep apnea and make lifestyle changes
accompanied by sleep
apnea treatment, the better the chance for preventing the progression of
sleep apnea and its accompanying health hazards.