Sarcopenia Is Not Associated with Depression in Korean Adults: Results from the 2010–2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

BackgroundSarcopenia is associated with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, and mortality; however, its association with depression in the general population remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated this association in Korea.MethodsThis study included 8,958 and 8,518 subjects from the 2010–2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V-1, 2. The study was restricted to participants ≥20 years of age who had completed the survey, including whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans. After exclusion, 7,364 subjects were included in our final analysis. Age was categorized into three groups (20–39, 40–59, and ≥60 years), and subjects were categorized according to their sarcopenic and obesity status. Depression was categorized into three groups (not depressed, depressed, and depression).ResultsThe sarcopenia group did not have a higher prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms compared to the nonsarcopenia group; the same was true even when obesity was considered. All age groups showed non-significant associations between sarcopenia and depression. In multivariate logistic regression models, no significant associations were observed between sarcopenia and prevalence of depression or depressed symptoms in men and women.ConclusionWe found no associations between sarcopenia and the prevalence of depression or depressed symptoms in Korean adults. Future large prospective studies and randomized controlled trials are needed to further assess this relationship.

Relationship between sarcopenia and depression in older patients with diabetes: An investigation using the Japanese version of SARC‐F

“…27,28 As another mechanism, although not evaluated in the present study, factors associated with sarcopenia and depression, including declined physical activity and appetite, might be involved. 13,18 In our present study, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence scores were significantly lower in both men and women in the sarcopenia group (P < 0.001). In a previous study, decreased ADL was associated with sarcopenia and depression.…”

“…Meanwhile, neurotrophin‐3, another myokine, has also been shown to be related to depression, suggesting that these myokines are involved in the relationship between sarcopenia and depression . As another mechanism, although not evaluated in the present study, factors associated with sarcopenia and depression, including declined physical activity and appetite, might be involved . In our present study, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence scores were significantly lower in both men and women in the sarcopenia group ( P < 0.001).…”

“…Variables for adjustment were set according to previous studies and clinical judgment. 13,18 The level of significance (two-sided) was set at <0.05, and Stata version 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) was used for analysis.…”

“…We also calculated the adjusted odds ratio for depression in patients with sarcopenia using multivariate logistic regression analysis with depression as the dependent variable and sarcopenia as the explanatory variable. Variables for adjustment were set according to previous studies and clinical judgment . The level of significance (two‐sided) was set at <0.05, and Stata version 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) was used for analysis.…”

Depression and Handgrip Strength Among U.S. Adults Aged 60 Years and Older from NHANES 2011–2014

“…Most recently, an accumulation of evidence has suggested that diagnoses of sarcopenia and sarcopenia with obesity are associated with depression (19–22). However, large dataset studies have also reported findings on no associations between sarcopenia and depression (23, 24). …”