Fewer breathing pauses with diet or exercise
- Published in
- Respirology 2019
- People studied
- 702
In 10 trials with 702 people with sleep apnea, diet and exercise programmes meant about 8 fewer breathing events an hour than comparison groups.
- Checked against
- PubMed 31116901
- Published in
- Respirology 2019
- Last checked
- 30 October 2026
Key takeaway
This review pooled 10 randomised trials with 702 people with obstructive sleep apnea who were given a diet programme, an exercise programme or both. On average the programmes meant about 8 fewer breathing events an hour (pauses or shallow breaths during sleep) and a BMI about 2.4 points lower than in the comparison groups. Every type of programme went with fewer events.
At a glance
- Type of study
- pooled analysis of randomised trials (meta-analysis)
- People studied
- 702
- Compared with
- control groups without the programme
- Main result
- About 8 fewer breathing events an hour than comparison groups.
- Strength of evidence
- Randomised trials
What this study does not show
The review could not say who benefits most, and the results did not depend on how long the programme lasted. Only the diet programmes clearly lowered BMI.
Results from studies in groups of people, mostly in diet and movement programmes. They cannot be promised to any one person. This information is educational and does not replace a consultation with a doctor.
More on sleep
- Milder sleep apneaLong-term or observational studies · Peppard et al., JAMA 2000
- More people free of apneaRandomised trials · Foster et al., Arch Intern Med 2009
- Fewer cases of mild apneaSmall or uncontrolled studies · Tuomilehto et al., Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2009
- Fewer breathing pauses at nightSmall or uncontrolled studies · Johansson et al., BMJ 2009
- Lasting gains for sleep apneaRandomised trials · Kuna et al., Sleep 2013
- Fewer breathing pauses with diet or exerciseRandomised trials · Edwards et al., Respirology 2019
- Less daytime sleepinessLong-term or observational studies · Carneiro-Barrera et al., Obes Rev 2019
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