Father Manages Sleep Apnea on National TV in “Losing It with Jillian” Finale

The final episode of NBC’s “Losing It with Jillian” serves as a warning about the lifestyle factors that can lead to sleep apnea. After years of refusing treatment for severe sleep apnea a family’s 328 pound patriarch decided to clean up his act fearing he could “drop dead at any second.”

Enter tough love celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels. The famous taskmaster from “The Biggest Loser” whips a family into shape each episode by teaching them the value of fitness and nutrition.

For the Alvarez family the path to weight loss began with a difficult visit to the doctor’s office. The father David Alvarez Sr. learned he was risking his life every time he went to sleep without a CPAP machine. An overnight sleep study showed his sleep apnea was especially severe. Breathing pauses lasted up to 32 seconds, and his apnea index was 64.

He begrudgingly resumed CPAP therapy, but years of sleep apnea had taken a toll on his health. Doctors advised against doing activities that would moderately raise his heart rate, making a weight loss plan more difficult.

His son David Jr. was unhealthy and on track to develop diabetes and sleep apnea. In a heartbreaking or depending how you view it, manipulative scene the two had a father son chat about CPAP and obstructive sleep apnea. David Jr. tried wearing the CPAP mask, while his father explained why it could be his future. David Sr. said he was ashamed that he had to “do this or I’m dead.”

There is no shame in a therapy that can save your life. Obesity and unhealthy lifestyle choices promote obstructive sleep apnea, but some people develop the sleep disorder anyways.

The lesson that should be taken to heart is that you have some control and you can reduce your chances of getting sleep apnea. There are treatments but there is no surefire magic bullet for people who already have sleep apnea. Weight loss can help but won’t eliminate symptoms for severe cases. An approach using diet and exercise should be paired with CPAP, oral appliance therapy or surgery for sleep apnea.

The full episode is available streaming on Hulu until August 19th.

Biggest Loser: Weight Loss, CPAP & Sleep Apnea

Season eight of the hit TV show “The Biggest Loser” has begun. Once again contestants are being screened and treated for obstructive sleep apnea.

“I have put in place a new policy that all contestants need to undergo a sleep study in future seasons,” the show’s medical expert Dr. Rob Huizenga said in a Philips Respironics statement. “The results have been astonishing after two seasons of testing.”

All 16 contestants were diagnosed with sleep apnea during preparations for the new season. Now they are being treated with CPAP therapy. AASM President Dr. Clete Kushida is working with the contestants to ensure that they receive the maximum benefit from ongoing treatment.

Contestants will continue to receive assistance once their time on the show comes to an end. Philips Respironics will help them find a sleep disorders center in their hometown.

In May the Sleep Education Blog reported that excess body weight is a major risk factor for OSA. Treating sleep apnea with CPAP helps some people bring their weight under control.

But research shows that that CPAP alone is unlikely to produce weight loss; CPAP users still need to take an active role in losing weight.

You should talk to your doctor to develop a healthy weight-loss plan that is right for you. For help with sleep apnea you should contact an AASM-accredited sleep disorders center in your area.

Are you at risk for sleep apnea? STOP and find out. You also can answer these questions on SleepEducation.com to learn more about your risk.

Watch "The Biggest Loser" on NBC, Tuesdays at 8/7c.

Losing Weight with CPAP for Sleep Apnea

Excess body weight is a major risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Treating sleep apnea with CPAP helps some people bring their weight under control.

In some cases the change is dramatic. NorthWest Cable News in Seattle reports that CPAP helped one woman lose more than 100 pounds in a little more than a year. She used to weigh more than 300 pounds.

Then she was diagnosed with sleep apnea and started using CPAP. She began to notice that she had more energy. So she started working out regularly and eating better.

CPAP also played a role behind the scenes of the TV show “The Biggest Loser: Couples.” Each contestant was evaluated during an overnight sleep study.

Sixteen of the 22 contestants were diagnosed with sleep apnea. Sponsor Philips Respironics provided treatment for each of them.

But a 2008 study shows that there is no guarantee that CPAP will lead to weight loss. The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

The study involved 228 adults with sleep apnea. They had an average age of 55 years.

Results show that using CPAP for one year did not produce a significant drop in body mass index (BMI). Some participants initially lost weight after starting CPAP. But they gained the weight back during the year.

The authors conclude that CPAP alone is unlikely to produce weight loss; CPAP users still need to take an active role in losing weight.

Using CPAP is likely to increase your daytime alertness and energy level. This can help you lose weight if you become more active and get more exercise.

You should talk to your doctor to develop a healthy weight-loss plan that is right for you.

Learn more about the benefits of CPAP on SleepEducation.com.

Image by Chris