[Is a sedentary lifestyle a risk factor for sleep-related respiratory disturbance?].
BACKGROUND
This questionnaire-based epidemiological study was aimed at identifying possible sleep disturbance in a sample of active French males.


METHODS
Eight hundred and fifty male subjects, aged 22 to 66 years, completed a structured sleep questionnaire supplemented by information about their life habits and medical history. The study compared the prevalence of positive responses between an "at risk" group of sedentary people (with no declared leisure exercise) and a control group of "exercising" subjects (with more than 5 hours of planned exercise weekly).


RESULTS
Among the symptoms suggesting sleep-disordered breathing, only the question "Have you ever been told that you snore?" significantly separated the two groups. In addition, the sedentary group declared a history of treated hypertension significantly more often.


CONCLUSIONS
The present survey identified only one item that differed significantly between a sedentary of men and an exercising group - a history of treated hypertension. The result may be explained by the limitations of a questionnaire survey and by the limited contrast in exercise practice: the "sedentary" subjects had an occupational labour demand (not quantified), and the control group had a relatively modest leisure physical activity.
Teculescu
D
D
Unité 954, Institut national de la santé et de la recherché médicale, faculté de Médecine, BP 184, 54505 Vandœuvre, France. dan.teaca@free.fr
Chenuel
B
B
Benamghar
L
L
Michaely
J-P
JP
Hannhart
B
B
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult