Prevalence of sarcopenia in the world: a systematic review and meta- analysis of general population studies

Abstract

BackgroundSarcopenia, an age-related decline in muscle mass and function, is one of the most important health problems in elderly with a high rate of adverse outcomes. However, several studies have investigated the prevalence of sarcopenia in the world, the results have been inconsistent. The current systematic review and meta- analysis study was conducted to estimate the overall prevalence of sarcopenia in both genders in different regions of the world.MethodsElectronic databases, including MEDLINE (via PubMed), SCOPUS and Web of Science were searched between January 2009 and December 2016. The population- based studies that reported the prevalence of sarcopenia in healthy adults aged ≥ 60 years using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS) and Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) definitions, were selected. According to these consensual definitions, sarcopenia was defined by presence of low muscle mass (adjusted appendicular muscle mass for height) and muscle strength (handgrip strength) or physical performance (the usual gait speed).The random effect model was used for estimation the prevalence of sarcopenia. The sex-specific prevalence of sarcopenia and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Binomial Exact Method. Heterogeneity was assessed by subgroup analysis.ResultsThirty- five articles met our inclusion criteria, with a total of 58404 individuals. The overall estimates of prevalence was 10% (95% CI: 8-12%) in men and 10% (95% CI: 8-13%) in women, respectively. The prevalence was higher among non- Asian than Asian individuals in both genders especially, when the Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) was used to measure muscle mass (19% vs 10% in men; 20% vs 11% in women).ConclusionDespite the differences encountered between the studies, regarding diagnostic tools used to measure of muscle mass and different regions of the world for estimating parameters of sarcopenia, present systematic review revealed that a substantial proportion of the old people has sarcopenia, even in healthy populations. However, sarcopenia is as a consequence of the aging progress, early diagnosis can prevent some adverse outcomes.

Sarcopenia: Prevalence and Prognostic Implications in Elderly Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the prognostic value of sarcopenia defined by muscle function and muscle mass in elderly patients Recent studies estimated the prevalence rates of sarcopenia to be approximately 1% -29% in people dwelling within the community [8-10], 10.2% -60% in hospitalized patients [11][12][13][14], and 14.3% -32.8% in those in long-term care [15,16]. A recent meta-analysis of studies in the general population, including 35 reports with a total of 58404 individuals, showed that the prevalence of sarcopenia defined by low muscle mass was 10% in both sexes [25], and the prevalence was higher for BIA-based methods than DXA-based methods (BIA: 13%, DXA: 8% in both sexes). Using the AWGS criteria, Han et al [26] reported that the prevalence rates of sarcopenia in 1069 older men and women in China were 6.4% and 11.5%, respectively.…”

Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity Vary with Race/Ethnicity and Advancing Age

“…These conditions can perpetuate the cycle of inactivity and muscle loss, eventually leading to frailty and even mortality [11][12][13][14]. While the prevalence of sarcopenia varies depending on how it is defined and the specific techniques used to measure muscle mass, it is estimated to occur in 25-45% of older adults in the U.S. and in a substantial proportion of older adults across the world even among healthy populations [7,[15][16][17][18].…”

Frailty, Sarcopenia and Falls

“…Muscle mass is lost at a rate of approximately 8% per decade between the ages 50 and 70 years; then weight loss is coupled with an accelerated loss of muscle mass, reaching a rate of 15% each decade [33]. The overall prevalence of sarcopenia is reported to be 10% [34]; with the continued increase in the older population, sarcopenia is becoming a serious global public health problem. Sarcopenia is associated with the ageing process [35]; loss of muscle mass and strength, which in turn affects balance, gait and overall ability to perform tasks of daily living, are hallmarks of this disease that is also a powerful predictor of disability [36].…”