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Is there a clear link between overweight/obesity and sleep disordered breathing in children?

Mark J Kohler1, Cameron J van den Heuvel

  • 1Children's Research Centre, Discipline of Paediatrics, University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Hospital, 72 King William Road, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006, Australia. mark.kohler@adelaide.edu.au

Sleep Medicine Reviews
|September 16, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Childhood obesity is rising, but its direct link to sleep disordered breathing (SDB) remains unclear. Methodological differences in studies mean the association between excess weight and SDB in children is equivocal.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Childhood overweight and obesity rates have significantly increased globally.
  • Excess weight in children is linked to serious health issues, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
  • Obesity is often considered a risk factor for sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in both children and adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the evidence linking childhood overweight/obesity with sleep disordered breathing (SDB).
  • To explore factors that may influence the relationship between excess weight and SDB prevalence in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on childhood obesity and SDB.
  • Analysis of methodological variations in previous studies.
  • Examination of potential confounding factors such as age and ethnicity.

Main Results:

  • The current body of evidence does not support a simple, direct association between overweight/obesity and increased SDB prevalence in children.
  • Existing studies present equivocal findings, largely due to inconsistencies in research methodologies.
  • Factors like ethnicity and age may play a role in modulating the obesity-SDB relationship.

Conclusions:

  • The relationship between childhood obesity and SDB is complex and not definitively established.
  • Further research with standardized methodologies is needed to clarify this association.
  • Understanding modulating factors like ethnicity and age is crucial for accurate risk assessment.

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