Abstract
The revised European consensus defined sarcopenia as a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls, fractures, physical disability and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and analyse the influence of diet, physical activity (PA) and obesity index as risk factors of each criteria of sarcopenia. A total of 629 European middle-aged and older adults were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were assessed. Self-reported PA and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were evaluated with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and Prevention with Mediterranean Diet questionnaire (PREDIMED), respectively. The functional assessment included handgrip strength, lower body muscle strength, gait speed and agility/dynamic balance. Of the participants, 4.84% to 7.33% showed probable sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was confirmed in 1.16% to 2.93% of participants. Severe sarcopenia was shown by 0.86% to 1.49% of participants. Male; age group ≤65 years; lower body mass index (BMI); high levels of vigorous PA; and the consumption of more than one portion per day of red meat, hamburgers, sausages or cold cuts and/or preferential consumption of rabbit, chicken or turkey instead of beef, pork, hamburgers or sausages (OR = 0.126–0.454; all p < 0.013) resulted as protective factors, and more time of sedentary time (OR = 1.608–2.368; p = 0.032–0.041) resulted as a risk factor for some criteria of sarcopenia. In conclusion, age, diet, PA, and obesity can affect the risk of having low muscle strength, low muscle mass or low functional performance, factors connected with sarcopenia.
Highlights
Concurrent with the many societal and personal challenges associated with increasingly aging populations, musculoskeletal disease has become a serious public health issue.The revised European consensus defines sarcopenia as a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls, fractures, physical disability and mortality [1]
The current study found that practicing vigorous physical activity (VPA) (50th percentile) was a protective factor for muscle strength as a muscle quality indicator (63.6% and 73.8% lower risk in the handgrip strength (HG) and chair stand test, respectively), functional performance (62.7% lower 79% lower risk in the short physical performance battery (SPPB) battery and gait speed, respectively) and having at least one criterion for sarcopenia (71.8% lower risk)
The present study found that the consumption of more than one portion per day of red meat, hamburgers, sausages or cold cuts was a protective factor for low muscle strength as a muscle quality indicator (62.5% based on the chair stand test), muscle quantity (52.0% lower risk based on muscle mass), functional performance (45% lower risk based on the gait speed test) and having at least one criterion for sarcopenia
Summary
The revised European consensus defines sarcopenia as a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls, fractures, physical disability and mortality [1]. It is categorized firstly as an age-related decline in muscle mass and function characterized by low muscle strength (as the principal and most reliable measure of muscle function), secondly by low muscle mass (quantity) and thirdly by low physical performance, an indication of muscle quality [1,2]. Fragility increases the likelihood of health impairment and increased disability and decreases the quality of life [4]
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