Sleep-disordered breathing in obese children: the southern Italy experience.
BACKGROUND
The association of obesity with sleep-associated respiratory disturbances, which has traditionally been described as a problem in adults, actually originates in childhood. We sought an association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and overweight and/or obesity in a large cohort of school- and preschool-aged children in Southern Italy.


METHODS
One thousand two hundred seven children (612 girls and 595 boys; mean age 7.3 years) were screened by self-administered questionnaires. According to answers, subjects were divided into three groups: nonsnorers (NS), occasional snorers (OS), and habitual snorers (HS). All HS, who also failed an oximetry study at home, underwent polysomnographic monitoring for the definition of SDB. BMI was calculated according to Italian growth charts.


RESULTS
A total of 809 subjects (67.0%) were eligible for the study. Of them, 44 subjects (5.4%) were classified as HS, 138 (17.0%) as OS, and 627 (77.5%) as NS. Fourteen subjects (1.7%) were given a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Sixty-four subjects (7.9%) were defined as obese, 121 (14.9%) as overweight, and 624 (77.2%) as normal weight. The frequency of HS was significantly higher in obese subjects than in overweight and normal-weight subjects (12.5% vs 5.8% vs 4.6%, respectively; P = .02), whereas the frequency of OSAS was 1.6% in normal-weight, 1.6% in overweight, and 3.1% in obese subjects (P = not significant).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings in a large sample of Italian children suggest that obesity is associated with snoring.
Brunetti
Luigia
L
Clinica Pediatrica "S. Maggiore," Policlinico, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11-70124 Bari, Italy. l.brunetti@pediatria3.uniba.it
Tesse
Riccardina
R
Miniello
Vito Leonardo
VL
Colella
Isabella
I
Delvecchio
Maurizio
M
Logrillo
Vito Paolo
VP
Francavilla
Ruggiero
R
Armenio
Lucio
L
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D017286:Polysomnography; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012913:Snoring / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology