Obese people, who snore , could be at risk of developing from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder in which breathing stops for short spells during sleep.
“Snoring is the starting point for OSA”, said Dr. Praveen Varma, Pulmonologist, CARE Hospitals. He said that if untreated, the condition could lead to serious complications, including uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, motor vehicle accidents, depression and poor performance at work. The condition could get aggravated if those suffering from it lead a stressful and sedentary lifestyle, he cautioned.
In OSA, breathing stops because of an obstruction to the airways in the throat. While pointing out that all those with OSA snore loudly, but it was not the case for all snorers to develop the condition, he added.
