Improvement in obstructive sleep apnea after a tailored behavioural sleep medicine intervention targeting healthy eating and physical activity: a randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE: The aim of the present single-centre randomised controlled trial was to assess the effect of a behavioural sleep medicine (BSM) intervention on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity in patients who have been referred for new treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). METHODS: After baseline assessment including ventilatory and anthropometric parameters, and physical activity monitoring, 86 patients who were overweight (BMI ≥ 25) and had moderate-severe OSA with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 were randomised into a control group (CG; CPAP and advice about weight loss) or an experimental group (ExpG; CPAP and BSM intervention targeting physical activity and eating behaviour). The BSM intervention comprised 10 individual sessions with a dietician and a physiotherapist and included behaviour change techniques such as goal setting and self-monitoring. After 6 months, a new recording of ventilatory parameters was performed without CPAP. RESULTS: In ExpG, 40% (n = 14) had improved from severe to moderate or mild OSA or from moderate to mild OSA compared to 16.7% in CG (n = 6, p = 0.02). Further, a lower AHI and amount body fat at baseline were correlated with improvement in severity class. Being in ExpG implied a mean improvement in AHI by 9.7 and an odds ratio of 4.5 for improving in severity classification. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the clinical importance of lifestyle modifications in conjunction with CPAP treatment in patients with OSA.