The Role of Dentists and Primary Care Physicians in the Care of Patients with Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders

摘要

Obesity is a global epidemic that is well rooted in the United States and Western cultures (1–4). Recent attention of the magnitude of the epidemic warrants new approaches to health promotion, including expanded attention to obesity prevention by all health professions and disciplines. Driven by a combination of behavioral (e.g., unhealthy diets, physical inactivity) and environmental factors (e.g., food costs, community walkability, fast food establishment prevalence), obesity impacts individuals across the life-course and is responsible for morbidity, premature mortality, and escalating healthcare costs (5–8). The ramifications of obesity are pronounced among certain subpopulations, with disproportionate disparity and burden observed among racial/ethnic minorities, those of lower socioeconomic status, and those living in rural areas (9–13).