Correlation Between Perceived Stress and BMI Among Obstructive Sleep Apnea Individuals

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the potential association between higher perceived stress levels and elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Methodology: This prospective study was conducted at the Pulmonology Department of Dow University Hospital, Dow University of Health Sciences, from July to October 2020. The study included adults aged 18 and above, of both genders, diagnosed with OSA through clinical evaluation and sleep studies. BMI was calculated using the formula BMI = kg/m², and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was utilized to assess participants' perceived stress levels. The PSS questionnaire, comprising 10 items, was completed by participants, with each item rated on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from 0 to 4). Higher scores indicated higher perceived stress. Relevant clinical data were recorded, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the direction of the relationship.

Results: The study included 160 OSA cases, with an average age of approximately 50.29 years. The majority of participants were male (59.4%), while females constituted 40.6% of the sample. BMI categories revealed that 13.8% were overweight, 85.0% were obese, and only two individuals had a normal BMI. Concerning stress levels, 41.3% experienced low stress, 45.6% reported moderate stress, and 13.1% reported high perceived stress. Importantly, the study found an insignificant association between BMI and perceived stress (p-value < 0.278).

Conclusion: The study identified a predominant occurrence of obesity among OSA patients. A positive correlation between elevated BMI and perceived stress was observed. The limited number of similar studies and the acknowledged limitations of the current study underscore the necessity for further research and interventions to explore the impact of BMI on stress in OSA.