For Every 10 Kilogram Gain, the Risk of Sleep Apnea Doubles!

Pointing out that the incidence of sleep apnea is between 1 and 4 percent in non-obese people under 50 years of age, while this rate is over 30 percent in obese people, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Neurology Specialist, on the other hand, warns that each 10-kilogram increase in the body can increase the risk of sleep apnea by 2 times.

Obesity and Sleep Apnea Trigger Each Other

Stating that there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity all over the world in the last forty years, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Neurology Specialist said, “We have known for years that the most important reasons for this increase are high-calorie unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. However, different scientific studies show that the prevalence of obesity is between 1-4% in non-obese people under the age of 50. With obesity, this rate rises to 30-40 percent. In morbidly obese patients, this rate can be as high as 50 to 98 percent. Since people with sleep apnea tend to have a higher carbohydrate-based diet, the risk of obesity increases. This shows us that obesity is an important risk factor for sleep apnea, on the other hand, people with sleep apnea will also face the risk of obesity. In other words, there is a vicious cycle between obesity and sleep apnea that trigger each other.”

Insufficient and Poor-Quality Sleep Can Also Cause Obesity

Short sleep duration or poor sleep quality can also cause obesity. Giving the information that scientific studies that evaluated sleep durations in the last two decades showed that modern industrialized populations have decreased their sleep durations tremendously, our specialist said, “Subjects participating in this study showed greater hunger, especially for carbohydrate foods, and excessively increased their carbohydrate consumption. It is important to note here that sleep deprivation does not induce an enormous energy cost as the same amounts of energy would be expected to be spent in sleep in the unrestricted group, and this is confirmed by a calorimeter.”

Make Lifestyle Changes

Yeditepe University Hospital Neurology Specialist, who draws attention to the fact that measures can be taken against obesity and sleep apnea risk with simple lifestyle changes, makes the following recommendations:

Get support from your dietitian for a personalized nutrition program
Limit caffeine consumption
Go to bed early and wake up early for regular sleep times
Turn sports into a lifestyle besides healthy eating. For those who say that they cannot do intense sports, regular nature walks will definitely be beneficial
Thus, ensure that your body reaches the ideal fat and muscle ratio