Who Is Affected by Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs in all age groups. It can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on the number of times an hour that you stop breathing or have reduced airflow to the lungs during sleep.

Adults

Because sleep apnea is not always diagnosed, it is difficult to say how many people have it. One estimate notes that in North America, among people who are 30 to 60 years old, 4% of men and 2% of women have obstructive sleep apnea.¹

Other studies show that among people 30 to 60 years old, 4% to 24% of men and 2% to 9% of women have OSA, depending on how the OSA is diagnosed.²

At least 12 to 18 million Americans have sleep apnea.³

About 70% of people who have OSA are overweight.¹

African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders have the highest risk for OSA.³

Children and older adults

About 3% to 12% of children snore, and about 1% to 10% of children have sleep apnea.^{4, 2, 3} Most children have mild symptoms and may outgrow the condition. In young children, sleep apnea is usually caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids.

One study reports that among people who are 65 to 95 years old, 70% of the men and 56% of the women had periods of stopped breathing or reduced airflow to the lungs 10 or more times per hour.⁵

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