Sleep Apnea is known to affect roughly 24% of adult men and 9% of women in Australia, although a shocking 80% remain undiagnosed.

Estimates suggest that as many as 40% of people that suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) will have diabetes – The incidence of new diabetes in people with OSA however is not completely understood

The prevalence of OSA in those who have diabetes may be up to 23%, and the chance of some form of sleep disorder may be as high as 58%

Sleep Apnea may have effects on glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes

Sleep Apnea and other sleep disorders have a strong association with a range of cardiovascular complications including hypertension, stroke and heart failure

Similar to diabetes, Sleep Apnea prevalence and severity is directly correlated with adiposity; left untreated sleep apnea is also associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity

There is a strong link between OSA and obesity, with it affecting between 33%-77% of obese males and between 11%-46% of obese females

It is estimated 8% of the Australian population (approximately 1.6million) have diabetes, with the most conservative figures of OSA prevalence, this suggests over 900,000 diabetic Australians suffer from co-morbid OSA, which often remains undiagnosed

An association between severity of Sleep Apnea is associated with poorer glucose control

Sleep Apnea patients (particularly those with severe OSA) are more likely to have insulin resistance than those without

Most studies indicate the successful treatment of OSA improves insulin sensitivity and/ or fasting or post-prandial glucose levels

Even mild cases of Sleep Apnea appear to predispose patients to adverse metabolic outcomes

Available evidence from cross-sectional studies strongly supports an independent association between Sleep Apnea, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance – with many believing adiposity is the causative link