title: Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Multiple Anthropometric Indices of General Obesity and Abdominal Obesity among Young Adults.
abstract: This study aimed to examine the association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity among young adults. A total of 2911 college students in Thailand participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were taken by trained research staff. Overall, 6.3% of college students had OSA determined by the Berlin Questionnaire, 9.6% were overweight (BMI: 25-29 kg/m2), 4.5% were obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2); 12.4% had abdominal obesity (men: waist circumference≥90 cm; women: waist circumference≥80 cm). There were significant associations between OSA and overweight (odds ratio (OR)=1.72; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.04-1.85) and obesity (OR=24.23; 95% CI=15.20-38.61), independent of demographic and lifestyle factors, blood pressure, and psychological distress. Students with OSA were more likely to have abdominal obesity than those without OSA (OR=2.09; 95% CI=1.19-3.67). OSA was significantly related to joint effects of general and abdominal obesity. The OSA-obesity associations were robust and evident for both genders, individuals with normal and elevated blood pressure, and those with and without psychological distress. This study shows independent associations of OSA with general and abdominal obesity among young adults. OSA could be a risk factor for obesity and consequent cardiovascular morbidities. OSA screening and treatment might be important for young adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wipawan C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Pensuksan
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Vitool
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lohsoonthorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand ; College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somrat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lertmaharit
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Bizu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gelaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Williams
keywords: Asia; Thailand; abdominal obesity; college student; obesity; obstructive sleep apnea