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Plant-Based Diet Could Lower OSA Risk
High adherence to a plant-based diet low in refined grains and foods with high sugar and salt was associated with a reduced risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Results of the cross-sectional study that analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition survey, a nationally representative ongoing study in the United States, were recently published in the European Respiratory Journal.
“Such findings prompt consideration for re-evaluation of dietary recommendations to a shift towards emphasizing plant-based diets that are rich in anti-inflammatory components and antioxidant nutrients,” authors noted. “These diets not only influence OSA risk but also have the potential to modulate other pathophysiological mechanisms, possibly affecting various other health conditions, from obesity to CVD.”
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Cross-sectional data from 14,210 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) who provided dietary information via the 24-hour recall method, were analyzed. The study assessed various plant-based dietary indices (PDIs) as well as a pro-vegetarian diet index (PVDI). OSA risk was determined using the STOP-BANG (Snoring, Tired, Observed (snort), Pressure (blood pressure), Body mass index (BMI), Age, Neck, Gender) questionnaire. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between dietary patterns and OSA risk.
Higher adherence to PDIs (odds ratio (OR) Q5 versus Q1=0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.66–1.00) and PVDIs (OR=0.84; 95% CI: 0.68–1.05) showed an inverse association with OSA risk. Sex differences were also observed in the association between dietary patterns and OSA risk, particularly in the case of PDIs (males: OR=0.71; 95% CI: 0.56–0.90 vs. females: OR=0.93; 95% CI: 0.68–1.28).
Authors acknowledged that the cross-sectional nature of the study limits their ability to infer causality and the 24-hour recall data used to gather dietary information may not be indicative of typical eating patterns and could introduce recall biases.
“The distinct sex-specific patterns observed call for more personalized dietary interventions. Additional research with longitudinal data is crucial to substantiate these new findings, particularly focusing on how plant-based diets affect sleep apnea risk,” authors concluded.
