THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AND OBESITY IN ADULT PATIENTS: A LITERATURE REVIEW WITH A SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY FOCUS

Abstract

Objective: To identify and analyze the available scientific evidence regarding the interrelationship between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and obesity in adult patients, exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms connecting both conditions and the role of Speech-Language Pathology in this correlation. Specific Objectives: To describe the pathophysiological mechanisms linking obesity to OSA.
To identify the most commonly used assessment and diagnostic tools in obese adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea. To distinguish the role of Speech-Language Pathology in treatment through myofunctional therapy. Method: In order to answer the question, “What is the scientific evidence regarding the relationship between Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and obesity in adult patients, and what is the contribution of Speech-Language Pathology?”, a literature review was conducted from March to May 2026 using the electronic databases SciELO, PubMed, LILACS, Google Scholar, and the Virtual Health Library, including articles published from 2020 to 2025, restricted to Portuguese and English languages. The following descriptors were used: “Obstructive Sleep Apnea,” “Obesity,” “Sleep Apnea,” “Snoring and Obesity,” and “Respiratory Syndromes and Obesity.” Exclusion criteria included studies involving children and studies that did not address the guiding research question. Selection and extraction process: one reviewer. Extracted data included author, year, sample, intervention, and main results. A total of 19 articles were identified and, after title and abstract screening, 10 remained. Following full-text reading, 10 articles were included in the final sample. Results: The analyzed studies demonstrated a strong association between obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea, showing that increased body mass index, neck circumference, and abdominal circumference are related to greater severity of the syndrome. Obesity promotes the accumulation of adipose tissue in the upper airways, reducing airway patency and increasing the occurrence of airway collapse during sleep. It was also observed that patients with OSA present a higher risk of cardiometabolic alterations, excessive daytime sleepiness, cognitive deficits, and impaired quality of life. Polysomnography remained the primary diagnostic method for classifying disease severity. In the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy demonstrated positive outcomes in improving oropharyngeal muscle tone, reducing snoring, and enhancing respiratory quality during sleep. Conclusion: It is concluded that obesity represents an important risk factor for the development and worsening of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, being associated with structural and functional alterations of the upper airways. The role of Speech-Language Pathology, especially through Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy, provides a significant contribution to the interdisciplinary treatment of these patients, assisting in the functional improvement of the oropharyngeal musculature and in the reduction of symptoms related to the syndrome.