Obesity and perceived severity of obstructive sleep apnea-related conditions

Fam Community Health. 2014 Oct-Dec;37(4):258-70. doi: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000042.

Abstract

This study examined risk factors and perceived severity of obstructive sleep apnea-related conditions among college students based on weight categories. Data collected from 1399 college students were analyzed using multinomial and binary logistic regressions. Overweight and obese participants were more likely to snore and report familial risk for cardiovascular disease compared with their normal weight counterparts. Relative to normal weight participants, obese participants perceived snoring (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10), irritability (OR = 1.16), and high blood pressure (OR = 1.21) as more severe; they perceived erectile dysfunction (OR = 0.89) and cardiovascular disease (OR = 0.71) as less severe. Efforts are needed to identify obstructive sleep apnea risk and create systems for weight loss interventions, screening, and diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / genetics
  • Comorbidity
  • Fathers / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Mothers / statistics & numerical data
  • Obesity / epidemiology*
  • Obesity / genetics
  • Perception
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / epidemiology*
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / genetics
  • Snoring / epidemiology
  • Students / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Texas / epidemiology
  • Young Adult