Obesity and respiratory diseases

Abstract

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. In addition, obesity is now recognized as an important risk factor in the development of several respiratory diseases. Of these respiratory diseases, it has already been well established that obesity can lead to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity-hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). More recent data suggest that the prevalence of wheezing and bronchial hyper-responsiveness, two symptoms often associated with asthma, are increased in overweight and obese individual. Indeed, epidemiological studies have reported that obesity is a risk factor for the development of asthma. Furthermore, a number of studies indicate that obesity is also associated with a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombi, pulmonary emboli, pulmonary hypertension, and pneumonia. Finally, weight reduction has been shown to be effective in improving the symptoms and severity of several respiratory diseases, including OSA and asthma. Thus, overweight and obese patients should be encouraged to lose weight to reduce their risk of developing respiratory diseases or improve the course of pre-existing conditions.

The Exercise-Induced Weight Loss Improves Self-Reported Quality of Sleep in Obese Elderly Women with Sleep Disorders

“…The obese people usually have adjacent fat deposits to the pharynx, soft palate which narrow the nasopharyngeal rout, on the other hand, Obesity is associated with decreases in lung volumes, which may be a cause for sleep disorder (Murugan & Sharma, 2008). The prevalence of undiagnosed sleep-disordered breathing is high among men, but much higher than previously suspected in women (Young, Palta, Dempsey, Skatrud, Weber, & Badr, 1993).…”

Type 2 diabetes impairs pulmonary function in morbidly obese women: a case–control study

“…Second, we have not excluded autonomic neuropathy in diabetic patients, and therefore alterations in bronchial activity and respiratory muscle attributable to its presence cannot be ruled out. Third, recent data suggest that obesity is often associated with asthma [33]. However, although we have not specifically evaluated the presence of bronchial hyperreactivity in our patients, the exclusion of participants with self-reported asthma makes this potential bias very unlikely.…”

Poor Clinical Outcomes Among Pneumonia Patients With Schizophrenia

“…25,26 Such patients may therefore be sicker and display later in the course of their disease, leading to more adverse outcomes after the time of diagnosis. 20 Several risk factors (eg, cigarette smoking, 27,28 alcohol abuse, 29,30 and obesity 31,32 ) implicated in adverse outcomes for respiratory diseases are also more prevalent among these people. Inappropriate lifestyle choices (eg, poorer diets, and less physical activity) also Note: CI, confidence interval; ICU, intensive care unit.…”