Childhood severe obesity is a serious, urgent and complex global health problem with long-term co-morbidities. Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing is more common in obese children and adolescents. Increased body mass index is associated with an increase in apnea-hypopnea index. Obstructive sleep apnea leads to a decrease in rapid eye movement sleep, and obese children have been noted to have a decrease in rapid eye movement sleep, leading to weight gain. Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are associated with childhood obesity and cardiometabolic risks. Public health strategies for obesity prevention should focus more on sleep. Targeting childhood obesity is important in the prevention and management of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.
Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea; paediatrics; severe obesity; sleep.
© 2020 European Sleep Research Society.