Is weight loss effective at treating sleep apnea?

Yes: Weight loss is a corner stone of the treatment in sleep apnea. Returning the body mass index to a normal range can lead to an improvement, if not even the cure of sleep apnea.

Yes: Weight loss improves sleep apnea. An obese person with sleep apnea may not have enough space in the throat area, so air can't flow easily to the lungs during sleep. Being obese, he has more fat, including in the neck and throat areas, so there is more flesh to block air flow. An obese person lying down has extra weight in the tummy pushing up the bottom of the chest, making breathing more work.

Often: Weight loss can often reduce or resolve obstructive sleep apnea. Weight gain is associated with tongue enlargement and reduced width of the throat. If you lose considerable weight, don't just assume the sleep apnea is cured, as sleep apnea is also related to your facial features, muscle tone and pattern of breathing. Repeat the sleep study.

Usually yes: Most apnea patients are obese and weight loss can improve and sometimes cure them depending on the degree that their obesity narrows their airway. There is a subset of apnea patients who are of normal weight and have issues of obstruction unrelated to obesity.