Prevalence and Risk Factors of Sarcopenia among Older Adults Aged ≥65 Years Admitted to Daycare Centers of Taiwan: Using AWGS 2019 Guidelines

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome which is likely to cause disability, body unbalance, and mortality and thus can lead to heavy healthcare expenditure and caregiver burden. Although some studies have addressed the prevalence of sarcopenia for older adults, there are limited studies conducted in daycare centers. The present study aimed to (i) estimate the prevalence of sarcopenia and (ii) explore associated factors of sarcopenia and standing balance among older adults admitted to daycare centers in Taiwan. The cross-sectional study collected data on demographics, health status, handgrip strength, gait speed (GS), skeletal muscle mass, Taiwan-Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (TW-MNA-SF), and Short Physical Performance Battery from daycare centers in northern Taiwan. The definition of sarcopenia followed the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 guidelines. Among 173 participants ≥65 year-old, 50.9% had confirmed sarcopenia, 47.4% possible sarcopenia, and 1.7% normal. Results showed that calf circumference, TW-MNA-SF, dementia, and body mass index (BMI) were associated with sarcopenia. Moreover, BMI, GS, and sarcopenia were associated factors of standing balance. The study estimated a high prevalence of sarcopenia in daycare centers and identified some significant factors of sarcopenia and standing balance. Early nutritional and physiotherapy interventions could benefit older adults to prevent sarcopenia or unbalance.

Physical Inactivity and Possible Sarcopenia in Rural Community Daycare Stations of Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Second, the differences may be ascribed to the age of the sample. In the present study, the mean age of the sample (71.9 years old) was older than that in the study of Miura et al (2021) [ 17 ] and younger than that in the study of Chang et al (2021) [ 18 ]. Previous studies have suggested that older age groups were more likely to develop possible sarcopenia [ 9 , 13 , 16 ].…”

“…One plausible explanation is that the mean BMI of 26.9 kg/m 2 in the present study was greater than that of 19.4 kg/m 2 in the study of Miura et al (2021) for older adults with possible sarcopenia [ 17 ]. Previous studies indicated that higher BMI had a protective effect against possible sarcopenia [ 9 , 16 , 18 ]. Furthermore, our findings seem to echo a cross-sectional study of older adults in Switzerland by Bertschi et al (2021), indicating that low BMI (with a mean of 25.6 kg/m 2 ) was not associated with probable sarcopenia according to new criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 [ 36 ].…”

“…In the present study, we found that possible sarcopenia was highly prevalent in 68.7% of adults at rural community daycare stations. Our findings were inconsistent with two previous studies: one was conducted by Miura et al (2021), which recruited older Japanese adults aged 60 years who underwent health and frailty checkups, with an estimated prevalence of 2.9% [ 17 ]; the other was conducted by Chang et al (2021), which recruited older Taiwanese adults aged over 65 years (mean age 81.6 years) at daycare stations in Keelung City of Taiwan, with an estimated prevalence of 98.3% [ 18 ]. First, the difference was probably due to different operational definitions used to define possible sarcopenia.…”

“…The epidemiological information regarding possible sarcopenia is scarce. To date, there have been six cross-sectional studies in Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan that explored the prevalence of possible sarcopenia among the Asian population using the updated AWGS 2019 criteria [ 9 , 10 , 13 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. Of these, only three cross-sectional studies explored the associated factors for possible sarcopenia [ 9 , 16 , 17 ].…”

“…Of these, only three cross-sectional studies explored the associated factors for possible sarcopenia [ 9 , 16 , 17 ]. Across the studies with respect to different settings and populations, the prevalence of possible sarcopenia varied from 2.9% in Japan [ 17 ] to 98.1% in Taiwan [ 18 ]. Since possible sarcopenia is still a new concept, more information regarding possible sarcopenia could help provide a more effective delivery of services to those in need of LTC, especially at rural community daycare stations.…”