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Epidemiology and Population Health

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased risk of early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity: Results from NHANES 2015-2018

International Journal of Obesity (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in the United States and its relative risk due to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methods

Data in this cross-sectional study were extracted from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2018. Weighted multistage stratified probability sampling design was considered to estimate the prevalence of early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses and weighted multivariable mediation models were performed to evaluate the association between OSA and early-onset sarcopenia.

Results

The prevalence of early-onset sarcopenia and early-onset sarcopenic obesity was estimated to be 5.5% and 4.6%, respectively. A higher prevalence of sarcopenia (12% V.S. 5.5%, P < 0.01) and sarcopenic obesity (10.3% V.S. 4.0%, P < 0.01) was observed among participants with OSA than those without OSA. Multivariable logistic regression models suggested that participants with OSA had higher odds ratios of suffering from early-onset sarcopenia [Odds Ratio (OR): 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.1-2.7] and early-onset sarcopenic obesity [OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.1] after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Mediation analyses suggested serum chronic reaction protein (CRP) mediated 23.7% (P < 0.01) & 26.2% (P < 0.01), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) mediated 24.8% (P < 0.01) & 20.7% (P < 0.05), body mass index (BMI) mediated 46.4% (P < 0.05) & 49.9% (P < 0.01), HEI-2015 mediated 23.3% (P < 0.01) & 25.6% (P < 0.01), and Vitamin D mediated 7.5% (P < 0.01) & 8.5% (P < 0.01) of the potential effects of OSA on early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity, respectively.

Conclusion

Early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were prevalent among young adults in the US. OSA is a significant independent risk factor and may induce muscle loss by unhealthy diet habits, higher BMI, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and Vitamin D. It was essential for clinicians to arrange appropriate screening and interventions for patients with OSA to prevent muscle loss as early as possible.

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Fig. 1: Flow chart for the study design and participants.

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Data availability

The data generated during and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the subjects for their participation.

Funding

CL was funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 82270928), the Fujian Provincial Health Science and Technology Project (No. 2022CXB016), and High-quality development Funds of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University (NO. YN81870611).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Xinge Tao, Rui Niu, Wenjing Lu, Xiying Zeng & Changqin Liu

  2. National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Xinge Tao

  3. Department of Outpatient, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China

    Xin Sun

  4. Xiamen Key Laboratory for Clinical Efficacy and Evidence-Based Research of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Changqin Liu

  5. Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Diabetes Translational Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Changqin Liu

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Contributions

The study concept and design were framed by XS and CL. XT conducted the statistical data analysis and drafted the manuscript. WL, RN, and WL contributed to the discussion. XS and CL contributed to the discussion and revision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xin Sun or Changqin Liu.

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The proposed study does not involve the collection of primary data. Accordingly, no ethical approval is required.

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Tao, X., Niu, R., Lu, W. et al. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased risk of early-onset sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity: Results from NHANES 2015-2018. Int J Obes (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01493-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01493-8

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