Chapter 7 - Effects of Sarcopenic Obesity on Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality

Abstract

Obesity is a major public health problem and is well recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Obesity prevalence increases with age, which represents an issue in an ageing population. As ageing occurs, typically visceral fat increases and there is also a progressive loss of muscle mass, known as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic impairment, disability, and mortality. Sarcopenic obesity is a new class of obesity in which low skeletal muscle mass is coupled with high levels of adiposity. The presence of both sarcopenia and obesity may therefore increase the impact on each other emphasizing their effect on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. This chapter introduces the concept of sarcopenic obesity, discusses how it is defined, and reviews the health implications of sarcopenic obesity on CVD and mortality in older adults.