Heavier men and women whose jobs involve driving could be at a greater risk of accidents due to obstructive sleep apnoea, an expert has said.The condition, known as OSA, causes the airways to collapse while sufferers are asleep, leading to brief stoppages in breathing and poor quality bed rest.Those who are obese or overweight are at a higher risk of developing the problem and so are taking a dangerous chance by driving, Dr Bertrand De Silva, medical director of American Sleep Medicine in California, has warned.He spoke at the National Obesity Forum in London this week and was quoted by the Press Association as saying: "It is known that OSA, which causes daytime sleepiness, doubles the risk of road accidents."NHS figures show OSA is more common in men than in women, hitting an estimated 3.5 per cent of males and 1.5 per cent of females.
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