Research

Energy balance

Weight loss achieved through an intensive lifestyle intervention significantly reduces the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, with greater weight loss correlating to greater AHI reduction.

If you have type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea, losing weight is one of the most effective ways to reduce the severity of your sleep apnea. Aim for at least 10 kg (22 lbs) of weight loss through a calorie-controlled diet and regular moderate exercise (like brisk walking). This can significantly reduce the number of breathing interruptions during sleep and may even lead to the remission of sleep apnea.

StrongSupportsVERY_HIGH confidence
Relative to the DSE group, the ILI intervention was associated with an adjusted (SE) decrease in AHI of 9.7 (2.0) events per hour (P<.001)... Participants with a weight loss of 10 kg or more had the greatest reductions in AHI.
Gary D. Foster · Archives of Internal Medicine · 2009

Why this rating

Large-scale (N=264), randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a control group, long duration (1 year), and objective polysomnography measures.

Source

A Randomized Study on the Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Among Obese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes&lt;subtitle&gt;The Sleep AHEAD Study&lt;/subtitle&gt;&lt;alt-title&gt;Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea&lt;/alt-title&gt;

Gary D. Foster · Archives of Internal Medicine · 2009

DOI 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.266

rct · n=264Cited 525×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →