Perspective:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has become a major health burden in affluent populations, and is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The current study assesses the long-term efficacy of a lifestyle intervention based on weight reduction, healthy diet, and physical activity in people with OSA, and reports that a healthy lifestyle along with weight reduction can result in marked improvement of OSA that is sustained even 4 years after the active intervention. These results highlight the importance of early detection of OSA and more active treatment of obesity in these patients. Future trials should assess the effects of different lifestyle programs among patients with OSA to determine their overall efficacy and long-term success.