Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Obese Children and Teenagers - Occurrence and Importance of Intervention

The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased at an alarming rate over the last decades, both globally and in Denmark. There are a number of serious sequelae related to obesity, such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, fatty liver and prediabetes. Obesity is found to be a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA in childhood is known to be associated with cardiovascular complications, neurocognitive problems and reduced quality of life. The correlation between obesity and OSA is still poorly understood. Early detection and intervention is of great importance as the health consequences related to OSA as well as obesity are severe. Adenotonsillectomy is recommended as first-line therapy in children with OSA. However, only around 25% of obese children benefit from this treatment compared to around 75% of normal-weight children suggesting that there might be other structural factors predisposing to OSA in obese children.

In this study the investigators aim to clarify the impact of obesity in the development of OSA. The prevalence of OSA in obese children will be investigated. Furthermore the purpose is to assess the effect of weight loss on OSA.