Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea: Or is it OSA and obesity?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) consists of repetitive choking spells due to sleep-induced reduction of upper airway muscle tone. Millions of adults and children live unaware of this condition, which can have a profound affect on their health and quality of life. Obesity, gender, genetic, and hormonal factors mediate risk for OSA and interact in a multifaceted manner in the pathogenesis of this disease. Obesity is the most established and primary risk factor given that body mass index, visceral fat, and neck circumference are major predictors in the clinical expression of OSA. Many studies have shown weight loss or gain significantly impacts OSA severity. More recently, accumulating evidence indicates OSA promotes weight gain, obesity, and type II diabetes in a variety of ways, such that obesity and OSA form multiple interleaved vicious cycles. Thus, creative strategies to increase physical activity, improve diet, and otherwise facilitate weight management become particularly vital given the epidemics of obesity and OSA in the United States. In this regard, the American College of Sports Medicine recently launched the “Exercise is Medicine” (initiative exerciseismedicine.org). In the future, medications may emerge to treat obesity, OSA, and their sequelae with minimal side effects. However, there are effective ways to approach these problems now without waiting for “the magic pill”.