Body Composition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults Before and After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Longitudinal Prospective Study in a Rural Village Struck by the Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Information on the body composition of inhabitants of remote communities during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is limited. Using a longitudinal population-based study design, we assessed the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and changes in body composition. Methods: Community-dwelling older adults living in a rural Ecuadorian village received body composition determinations before and 1 year after the pandemic as well as serological tests for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The independent association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and abnormalities in body composition at follow-up was assessed by fitting linear mixed models for longitudinal data. Results: Of 327 enrolled individuals, 277 (85%) received baseline and follow-up body composition determinations, and 175 (63%) of them became SARS-CoV-2 seropositive. Overall, diet and physical activity deteriorated during the follow-up. Multivariate random-effects generalized least squares regression models that included the impact of time and seropositivity on follow-up body composition, showed that neither variable contributed to a worsening in body composition. Multivariate logistic regression models disclosed that the serological status at follow-up cannot be predicted by differences in body composition and other baseline covariates. Conclusions: Study results suggest no increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection among older adults with abnormal body composition and no significant changes as a result of worse physical activity and dietary habits or seropositivity during the length of the study. Together with a previous study in the same population that showed decrease in hand-grip strength after SARS-CoV-2, results confirm that dynapenia (and not sarcopenia) is associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in older adults.

High social risk and mortality. A prospective study in community-dwelling older adults living in a rural Ecuadorian village

“…However, the study population has been closely followed and most participants underwent repeated determinations of vascular risk factors during the study years. We did not identify significant changes in vascular risk factors with the exception of a temporary decline in physical activity and dietary habits during the past two years as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic ( Del Brutto et al, 2021 ). The study included a homogeneous population of older adults of Amerindian ancestry living in a remote rural village, and, therefore, our results may not be generalizable to other races/ethnic groups or to people living in other settings.…”

Osteosarcopenic Adiposity and Nutritional Status in Older Nursing Home Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…It could be assumed that those residents had a more severe complications of the disease, accompanied by a worse nutritional status. Likewise, there are several epidemiological studies in which no changes were reported in body composition or nutritional status in recovered COVID-19 patients, both older and younger ones [ 12 , 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

High Social Risk Influence Progression of White Matter Hyperintensities of Presumed Vascular Origin: A Prospective Study in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

“…Our records did not identify significant changes in CVH metrics with the exception of a transient decline in physical activity and dietary habits among older adults during the past year as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. 33 In addition, the treatment gap (< 15% of the population with vascular risk factors received proper therapy during the study years) precluded assessment of the impact of medications on WMH progression. The present study included a homogeneous population of older adults of Amerindian ancestry and our results may not be generalizable to other races/ethnic groups.…”