An association of Lifestyle Behaviour and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) among the College Students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim & Background: Obesity was found to be one of the risk factors in the causation of Obstructive Sleep Apnea among adolescents. The present study intends to find out the prevalence of OSA among student population post pandemic.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study of 785 college students belonging to the 18-23 age group. Data collected were demographics, lifestyle habits, including physical activity. Berlin scale and Epworth sleepiness scale were used to identify OSA. Anthropometry measurements were taken.

Results: The participants consisted of 478 females (60.9%) and 307 males (39.1%). 10.2% of the participants were classified as overweight and 60.1% as obese. A total of 102 participants (13%) were engaged in regular physical activity. According to the Berlin questionnaire, only one percent of participants had high risk for developing Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). However, as per Epworth Sleepiness Scale assessment, 26% of the participants had sleep apnea. No significant association was found between BMI, NC, and OSA in this study

Conclusion: The study is very crucial as it informs on the social background, lifestyles, and medical status of the study subjects. Nevertheless, it is imperative to conduct more studies utilizing a larger sample size together with comprehensive assessment techniques and longitudinal follow-up.

Clinical Significance:
This research provides the importance of the incidence of obesity among college students as the significant risk for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). These findings emphasize the need for specifically directed interventions as well as preventive measures in addressing the issue of obesity and its related problems. This paper examines the effectiveness of various screening measures which include the Berlin questionnaire and Epworth sleepiness scale in selecting those that are likely to have OSA. Healthcare professionals require this information to select appropriate assessment tools and correctly interpret results.