Children who already suffer from breathing problems may have their condition worsened by weight-gain around their middle. A recent study conducted by researchers in the US has suggested that weight gain of this type can lead to an increased incidence of Sleep Apnea in the young.
At the moment, around two percent of children are assumed to have full Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and the most common treatment is the removal of the adenoids or the tonsils. These findings suggest that we may have to widen our considerations. At the moment, however, the link between obesity and Sleep Apnea hasn’t quite been as clearly established for children as it is been for adults.
The study, which followed a number of children who suffered from Sleep Apnea through several years of their development, noted that increases in the severity of Sleep Apnea did seem to have a correlation with increases in weight gain.
This isn’t conclusive, however, as the study how this waist size increase may not have fully considered how this could have been caused by a child’s growth. Clearly, further research is still needed, and it it’s obviously no bad thing to increase awareness of issues around childhood obesity. What is still open to debate, however, is whether or not it is helpful to focus on a child’s weight or BMI, when treating the condition.
There is currently a further study under-way in the US which will seek to answer some of these questions, and provide further insight into the effectiveness of current procedures.
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