Relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and obesity

―Basics to the treatment of obesity―

Abstract

　The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and obesity is very strong. For example, according to one well-known American study, a 10% increase in body weight was associated with a six-fold increase in the odds ratio for obstructive sleep apnea with an AHI of 15 or higher. Therefore, weight loss treatment for obesity is very important. Physicians need to understand that obesity is not a self-responsibility of modern people, and they need to provide treatment that is close to obese patients. The principle of obesity treatment is diet and exercise, but patients must be made to understand that diet restriction is more important than exercise. It is important that patients learn the key points of diet and the basic calorie intake of typical meals, and that the team develops tailor-made treatment for each individual patient.