Fat drivers 'worse' than drinkers

By Jenny Hope
The Herald Sun
Thursday, January 29, 2004

FAT motorists may be even more
dangerous than those who have been
drinking, a sleep expert has warned.

Dr Lee Dowson said growing obesity
was fuelling a rise in the disorder
sleep apnoea.

The disorder causes sufferers to wake
as many as 1000 times a night and is
blamed for daytime drowsiness.

Dr Dowson says it is probably already
causing many road deaths, with truck
drivers likely to be affected.

Thousands of sufferers do not realise
they have the condition, while others
are afraid to seek treatment in case
they lose their licences.

The overweight are more prone to
sleep apnoea, where muscles in the
throat relax, obstructing the
airways.

Sufferers need to wake for a split
second before dropping back to sleep,
a pattern repeated throughout the
night.

That means they do not get the deep,
refreshing sleep everyone needs.

Dr Dowson, who runs a sleep clinic at
Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital,
England, said: "They are dangerous on
the road.

"If you put them on a driving
simulator, they do worse than people
who are intoxicated with alcohol."

Dr Dowson said risk factors included
being male and having a thick neck -
fat there puts extra pressure on the
airways.

"If you think what your average heavy
goods vehicle driver looks like, you
can imagine this is a massive
problem," he said.

"Sleep apnoea probably accounts for
many, many road deaths. Most motorway
accidents involve lorries and most
lorry drivers are at risk."

Research in the United States found
the reaction times of drivers with
sleep disorders were equal to or
worse than those given enough vodka
to take them over the drink-driving
limit.

Dr Dowson said those with the
disorder were also often heavy
snorers.

More than one in 50 is a sufferer -
two-thirds of them men - but few
realise it.

GPs often misdiagnose it as
exhaustion and overwork, but it can
be treated successfully with a mask
through which air is pumped at night.

The British Snoring and Sleep Apnoea
Association said many people were
afraid to speak to their GP because
doctors had to tell the driver
licensing agency, which could
withdraw their licence.

But once a person has been properly
treated they can lead a normal,
healthy life.
- Herald Sun

More at:
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8523221%255E13762,00.html

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