Prevalence of Sarcopenic Obesity Using Different Definitions and the Relationship With Strength and Physical Performance in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging

Abstract

Sarcopenic obesity is associated with several negative health outcomes. However, the prevalence of this condition – and the relationship to physical performance parameters – varies across definitions. The aim of this cross-sectional investigation was to describe the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity using different published definitions and their relationship with handgrip strength and walking speed in older Canadian adults. Individuals aged 65+ in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (n = 11,803; 49.6% male, 50.4% female) were included. Body composition was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Sarcopenic obesity was defined using 29 definitions. Low handgrip strength was identified as < 27 kg in males and < 16 kg in females and poor physical performance was defined as gait speed ≤ 0.8 m/s. The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity ranged from 0.1 to 85.3% in males, and from 0 to 80.4% in females. Sarcopenic obesity was frequently associated with low handgrip strength (p < 0.05) in both males (14/17 definitions, 82.4%) and females (21/29 definitions, 72.4%). In very few definitions, sarcopenic obesity was associated with slow gait speed (males: 1/17 definitions [6.7%]; females: 2/29 [6.9%]). In conclusion, the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity varied greatly according to definitions and sarcopenic obesity was frequently associated with low handgrip strength.

The Critical Role of Oxidative Stress in Sarcopenic Obesity

“…The prevalence of SO varies between 2% and 85%. This wide range depends on the heterogeneity of SO definitions, the analyzed population, and the different criteria and/or diagnostic methods of obesity and sarcopenia [7,[19][20][21].…”

“…It is also essential to harmonize the criteria that define and diagnose 7 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity sarcopenia and obesity. Similarly, there is a need for advances in reaching a consensus in the methodology for the SO diagnosis that can be applicable in different populations, ideally used in clinical practice, and feasible for use in long-standing studies [3,7,12,16,37,48,152,153]. Further, since SO is a multifactorial disease, the treatment must also be multifactorial [31].…”

“…Nevertheless, the most accepted definition of SO is a combination of obesity and sarcopenia, mainly, although not exclusively, in older people. SO is characterized by high fat mass, low muscle mass, low muscle strength, and low physical functionality [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. People that develop SO are primarily over 60 years old, with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD), dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.…”

Relationship of Fat Mass Index and Fat Free Mass Index With Body Mass Index and Association With Function, Cognition and Sarcopenia in Pre-Frail Older Adults

“…Population ageing and rise in obesity prevalence worldwide are the two biggest risk factors for non-communicable diseases, including degenerative diseases, sarcopenia, frailty, dementia, increased morbidity, and mortality putting a strain on finite healthcare resources (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Physical inactivity during COVID-19 has further exacerbated the problem (6), and obesity has been recognized as the strongest risk for severe disease and mortality during COVID-19 (7).…”

The Effects of Lifestyle and Diet on Gut Microbiota Composition, Inflammation and Muscle Performance in Our Aging Society

“…Both obesity and malnutrition aare frequently observed in old age and are important determinants of functional impairments and frailty [223]. Obesity (excess fat mass), especially together with low muscle mass (called sarcopenic obesity), has been associated with several negative health outcomes, such as functional decline [224], increased risk of falls [225], osteoarthritis [226], and muscle weakness [227] accompanied by elevated risk for cardio-metabolic diseases and physical disability in older persons [228]. On the other hand, malnutrition is common among older people and often poorly recognized and underdiagnosed [229].…”