A obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a medical condition that plagues an approximate 39 million Americans in the United States. The condition is a major cause of chronic fatigue and poor sleep additionally leading other major comorbidities of death including heart failure and hypertension. A recent study, published in ERJ Open Research, found that plant-based diets significantly decreases the risk of OSA.

Drawing on data from 14,210 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the investigators assessed three plant-based dietary indices (PDI) – healthy, unhealthy, and pro-vegetarian – and their association with OSA risk. The results revealed intriguing findings: higher adherence to healthy plant-based diets was linked to a reduced risk of OSA, while consuming an unhealthy plant-based diet showed the opposite effect.

Specifically, individuals with greater adherence to healthy plant-based diets exhibited a 17% lower risk of OSA, compared to those with lower adherence. Conversely, those with higher consumption of unhealthy plant-based foods had a 22% higher risk of OSA.

Moreover, the study uncovered sex differences in these associations. While males showed greater benefits from adhering to healthy plant-based diets, females were more susceptible to the negative effects of unhealthy plant-based diets on OSA risk.

These findings underscore the importance of diet quality in mitigating OSA risk bringing home the point of the importance of a healthy diet in mitigating many of the comorbidities that plague the healthcare system. People need to take accountability for their own disease preventions and once such thing to eat a healthy diet.

YA Melaku et al. Plant-based and vegetarian diets are associated with reduced obstructive sleep apnea. ERJ Open Research (2024). DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00739-2023