title: Does 'weight reduction' help all adult snorers?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is now a global epidemic. Obese people are at higher risk of snoring. Weight reduction could influence the prevalence of snoring. Present study tried to find out, whether weight reduction is of benefit in all adult snorers.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a cross sectional study, on 349 subjects (196 males and 153 females). They and their spouses were asked for snoring habits. Their neck circumference, height and weight was measured and Body mass index (BMI) was calculated, and they were classified into low normal, high normal, pre-obese and obese BMI groups. Prevalence rates of snoring in different groups were compared, to find out any statistically significant difference, between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant difference, in prevalence rates of snoring was found, when obese and pre-obese group were compared with normal BMI group, separately. No significant difference was found in prevalence rates, when comparison was made between obese and pre-obese group. Difference in prevalence of snoring, was also not significant, when comparison was made between low normal and high normal BMI groups. Neck circumference of snorers was significantly more than the neck circumference of non-snorers in all BMI groups. Gender wise difference, in prevalence of snoring was also not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body mass index target needs to be set at 25 kg/m(2), in weight reduction programmes, to achieve clinically relevant response in a snorer. There is no need to put extra emphasis, on further reduction of BMI. Weight reduction, is not helpful in all adult snorers, especially those with normal BMI, where other causes of snoring, like fat around upper airways, need to be considered.
authors: Department of Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur, India.
authors: Amitabh Das
authors: AD
authors: Shukla
authors: Swati
authors: S
authors: Jain
authors: Rishabh
authors: R
authors: Mishra
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Singh
keywords: Adult; body mass index; obesity; snoring; weight reduction
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