Weight loss improves sleep apnea, but the empirical support was very less. A largest randomized study (Sleep AHEAD) on the effects of weight loss on sleep apnea in patients with type 2 diabetes was conducted by Gary Foster, director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education and colleagues from six other universities. The results which are published in the Sept. 28 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine clearly concludes that for patients with severe sleep apnea, who had the recommended weight loss of 10 % or more is three times more likely to nearly eliminate the number of sleep apnea episodes compared to those who did not lose weight

     The 264 participants were put into two randomized groups: the first receiving a group behavioural weight loss program including portion-controlled diets, and a prescribed exercise regimen of 175 minutes per week, developed especially for obese patients with type 2 diabetes. The second attended, three, group informational sessions over a one-year period that focused on diabetes management through diet, physical activity and social support.

     The members of the first group lost an average of 24 pounds, after one year. It is to be noted that more than three times as many participants in this group had complete remission of their sleep apnea (13.6 percent compared to 3.5 percent), and also had about half the instances of severe sleep apnea as the second group. Further, participants in the second group only lost about a pound, and saw significant deterioration of their sleep problems, which suggested to Foster and his team that without treatment, the disorder can progress rapidly.

     So as a conclusion, weight loss has an extremely important role to play in sleep apnea reduction, which in turn has other associated benefits which contribute to the over all well being of the individual.

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