Overweight snorers lack awareness of sleep apnea risk, report finds

The overweight and obese habitual snorers, who are at high risk of suffering from obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, have low disease awareness, with only 1 percent seeking medical care, according to a report released on Father's Day, which fell on Sunday this year.

This is despite the fact that 74 percent said they observed episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep in themselves or family members who snore, and 79 percent were already living with other chronic conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

According to medical experts, OSA is a common sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by habitual snoring and observable breathing interruptions during sleep, and is associated with a wide range of multisystem diseases and complications. It is estimated that approximately 176 million people in China are living with OSA, with 60 to 90 percent of them being overweight or obese.

Developed by the Green Research Center of Southern Weekly, the report surveyed 1,200 overweight or obese habitual snorers and their family members, as well as conducted in-depth interviews with patients and healthcare professionals. It aims to raise public awareness of the health risks behind abnormal snoring, improve recognition of overweight and obesity as key risk factors, and promote a better understanding of OSA among the public.

The report also showed that only around 20 percent of overweight and obese habitual snorers and their family members said they were aware of OSA, while fewer than half recognized the link between OSA and metabolic disorders associated with obesity.

OSA care is entering a new stage, moving beyond symptom control toward addressing underlying disease mechanisms, said Han Fang, director of the department of pulmonary and sleep medicine at Peking University People's Hospital in Beijing.

"For patients with OSA and obesity, a 20 percent reduction in BMI is associated with a 57 percent drop in the apnea-hypopnea index, and greater weight loss under medical guidance may deliver even broader health benefits," he said.