Sleep apnea can negatively affect both physical and mental health. The study specifically examined how common sleep apnea is among young children and whether there is a relationship between weight development, body weight, and sleep apnea.

The study included 371 children aged 4–9 years, representing approximately 29% of children in the general population within the study area. The children’s sleep was assessed using both standardized questionnaires and objective at-home sleep measurements conducted over two nights. The findings suggest that undiagnosed sleep apnea is more common in children than previously believed, with 22.7% of the children found to have sleep apnea. Of those, 16.2% had moderate sleep apnea and 6.5% had severe sleep apnea.

The results also revealed a clear association between body weight and sleep apnea. Children who were overweight or obese were found to be nearly three times more likely to have moderate or severe sleep apnea compared to children of normal weight. The findings highlight the need for accessible, reliable, and objective methods for diagnosing sleep disorders in young children.

The study used a sleep monitoring device (a ring) developed by SleepImage, based on 15 years of development work in collaboration with Harvard University. The device is an FDA- and CE-certified medical device. The ring is comfortable to use and makes it possible to perform sleep measurements in a child’s home. The use of this technology opens new possibilities for screening and diagnosing sleep-related breathing disorders in children.

The research project is led by a multidisciplinary team at SAk. The project supervisors are Hannes Petersen, ear, nose and throat specialist; Laufey Hrólfsdóttir, Director of the Education and Research Department; and Gróa Björk Jóhannesdóttir, Chief of Pediatrics. Ingibjörg Ingólfsdóttir, registered nurse, was the first author of the article. Project collaborators include Sólveig Dóra Magnúsdóttir, owner of SleepImage, and Þórhallur Ingi Halldórsson, professor at the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Iceland. Other participants in the project include Erla Guðbjörg Hallgrímsdóttir, medical intern, and Magnús Ingi Birkisson, resident physician.

The project has received grants from the research funds of SAk and the University of Akureyri, as well as funding from the Icelandic Student Innovation Fund and the Public Health Fund.

The article is available here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sleep/articles/10.3389/frsle.2025.1691091/full