78 / 106
Why are the overweight and obese at increased risk of developing this
sleep disorder? Extra fatty tissue, particularly if distributed on the upper
body, may be responsible for collapsing the airway. A person who is over-
weight can have fat stored around his neck. This concentration of fatty tis-
sue can compress and narrow the airway, making it more difficult to breathe
to begin with. Then those throat muscles relax. The added weight of the
excess fat makes the airway more likely to collapse.
Is sleep apnea dangerous? To many people, the condition seems harmless,
but don’t be so quick to write off this disorder. The more serious one’s sleep
apnea is, the greater the risks can be, especially if disturbed sleep at night
leads to exhaustion during the day. If you suffer from sleep apnea, perhaps
your greatest risk is getting behind the wheel of a car. Falling asleep at the
wheel kills thousands every year. You’re more likely to have a serious
accident if you drive when sleepy, and you’re more likely to be sleepy on a
regular basis if you have sleep apnea. Job or school performance can also suf-
fer as mental
acuity
decreases with lack of rest.
76 / Health Issues Caused by Obesity
Research Project
Three treatments for managing arthritis were
listed in this chapter: corticosteroids, surgery,
and weight loss. Focusing on corticosteroids and
surgery, go online and see how expensive it is to
have each of these treatments done. You may find many
different prices for each of these treatments. Create a
chart that lists all of the prices and compare the two
methods. Is one of them cheaper than the other? Would
the third treatment, weight loss, help to prevent the need
for either of these treatments?