European Association For The Study Of Obesity Research Articles

Sarcopenic Obesity and Outcomes for Patients With Cancer

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) have recently proposed a consensus definition and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity (SO). To implement the ESPEN-EASO diagnostic algorithm to investigate the prevalence of SO and its association with outcomes in patients with solid tumor cancers, with particular regard to associations among SO, overall survival (OS), and patient quality of life (QoL). This prospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with solid tumor starting in May 7, 2013, with the last follow-up on June 30, 2022. Patients with solid tumors were categorized into SO and non-SO groups according to ESPEN-EASO criteria. The primary outcome was OS and the secondary outcomes included patient QoL and risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Data were analyzed from June to December 2023. A total of 6790 patients were included in the study (mean [SD] age, 59.64 [10.77] years; 3489 were female [51.4%]). The prevalence of SO was 4.36% (296 of 6790) in the whole cohort and 14.98% (296 of 1976) in the subgroup with obesity. SO prevalence increased with age. During a median (IQR) follow-up period of 6.83 (5.67-7.04) years, 2103 patients died. Cox regression analysis indicated that SO was independently associated with lower OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.23-1.92), which was observed in both men (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.09-2.10) and women (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.12-2.07). SO was also associated with poorer QoL and higher risk of ICU admission (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.06-5.29). Among the diagnostic components of SO, low hand grip strength (HGS) was the only SO component associated with poor OS (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.04-1.28). This cohort study of SO found that SO was significantly associated with lower OS, poorer QoL, and higher risk of ICU admission. Weak HGS, 1 of the diagnostic conditions, was the only component of SO associated with OS. The ESPEN-EASO algorithm appears to be an applicable tool to identify cancer-associated SO, which represents a major clinical complication and factor associated with risk for poor outcomes in these patients.

Assessment of sarcopenic obesity as a predictor of pneumonia in patients with stable schizophrenia—A prospective study

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) recently released the first international consensus on the diagnostic criteria for Sarcopenic obesity (SO). The present study aimed to explore the ability of SO to predict the risk of pneumonia in patients with stable schizophrenia. This was a prospective study involving hospitalized patients with schizophrenia aged ≥50 years from two mental health centers in western China. Baseline patient data were collected from September 1 to September 30, 2020. Follow-up data on pneumonia were collected from October 2020 to October 2022. The diagnosis of SO was based on the ESPEN/EASO criteria. Patients were assessed for handgrip strength (HGS), skeletal muscle mass/weight (SMM/W), and fat mass percentage (FM%). Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the effect of SO on the risk of pneumonia in patients with stable schizophrenia. A total of 320 patients with stable schizophrenia were included. Of these, 74 (23.13%) were diagnosed with SO, while 117 (36.56%) developed pneumonia. Compared with patients in the non-low HGS, non-low HGS+non-low SMM/W (or non-low HGS+low SMM/W or low HGS+non-low SMM/W) and non-SO groups, the proportions of patients with pneumonia in the low HGS (42.3% vs. 25.9%, p=0.004), low HGS+low SMM/W (45.3% vs. 33.3%, p=0.048), and SO (47.3% vs. 33.3%, p=0.029) groups, respectively, were higher. However, there was no difference in the proportion of patients with pneumonia in the low SMM/W group and the obese group compared with the non-low SMM/W and non-obese groups. Further logistic regression analysis after adjustment for potential influencing factors showed that compared with the non-low HGS group, patients in the low HGS group had a higher risk of pneumonia (OR=1.892, 95%CI: 1.096-3.264). SO defined according to the ESPEN/EASO criteria was not found to be significantly associated with the development of pneumonia in patients with stable schizophrenia. Further verification of these results is needed with larger sample sizes and the establishment of a cutoff value for this population.

The Impact of the Physical Activity Level on Sarcopenic Obesity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Previous studies have reported that low levels of physical activity result in sarcopenic obesity (SO). However, the effects of specific intensities of physical activity on SO and the optimal amount of physical activity for lowering the prevalence of SO have not been well studied. This study aimed to identify the effects of physical activity levels and intensity on SO and the optimal amount of physical activity related to a lower prevalence of SO. This cross-sectional study used data from the nationwide Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS), which included 2071 older adults (1030 men, 1041 women). SO was defined according to the criteria of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between the physical activity level and SO. The high activity group had a significantly lower prevalence of SO than the non-high activity (low and moderate activity) group. On the other hand, moderate-intensity physical activity was associated with a lower prevalence of SO. A total physical activity energy expenditure of > 3032 kcal/week (433 kcal/day) for men and 2730 kcal/week (390 kcal/day) for women was associated with a reduced prevalence of SO. The high physical activity and total physical energy expenditure described above may be beneficial for reducing the prevalence of SO.

Analysis of sarcopenic obesity prevalence and diagnostic agreement according to the 2022 ESPEN and EASO Consensus in hospitalized older adults with severe obesity.

Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a clinical disorder characterized by increased adiposity and decreased muscle mass and function, commonly observed in older adults. However, most of the studies that investigated SO prevalence rates were not based on current standardized diagnostic methods. Thus, this study aims to estimate the prevalence rates of SO and their level of agreement using different instruments proposed by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) Consensus, in a sample of hospitalized older adults with severe obesity. A cross-sectional study with 90 older adults (≥ 60 years) with severe obesity (body mass index ≥ 35 kg/m/²) seeking an in-hospital multidisciplinary body weight reduction program. Skeletal muscle function was assessed using the five-repetition Sit-Stand test (5-SSt) and Handgrip Strength (HGS). Body composition was evaluated by high percentages of fat mass (FM), low appendicular lean mass (ALM/W), and skeletal muscle mass (SMM/W), adjusted to body weight. The stage of SO was assessed on the presence of at least one comorbidity and specific cut-offs were adopted for each step. All analyses were performed according to gender and age range. The prevalence rates of SO in the total sample were 23.3%, 25.5%, 31.1%, and 40.0% considering altered values of 5-SSt+FM+ALM/W, HGS+FM+ALM/W, 5-SSt+FMSSM/W, and HGS+FM+SSM/W, respectively. Higher prevalence rates were observed among female and old elderly subgroups, regardless of the diagnostic combination. There were weak agreements between the muscle function tests (5-SSt versus HGS) using both muscle mass indexes in the total sample and all subgroups. Moderate agreements were observed between muscle mass indexes (SMM/W versus ALM/W) in the total sample, male and younger older adults (using 5-SSt), and strong agreements for men and younger older adults (using HGS). The discrepancies observed between the prevalence rates and their levels of agreement reinforce the need for new studies in similar populations aiming for better standardization of SO assessment.

Applicability of the Diagnostic Criteria for Sarcopenic Obesity Defined by ESPEN/EASO Criteria in Acutely Admitted Patients with Stroke: Prevalence and Association with Outcomes.

Few reports have described sarcopenic obesity in patients with stroke. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity, as defined by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) consensus statement, in patients with acute stroke and to determine whether it was associated with improved physical function at discharge. This retrospective cohort study was conducted from May 2020 to November 2021 in patients with acute stroke. Sarcopenic obesity was determined using the ESPEN and EASO consensus statement. The main outcome was physical function based on the Functional Independence Measure motor score at discharge. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between sarcopenic obesity and the Functional Independence Measure motor score. This study included 276 patients (182 men; mean age, 72.4 y). Sarcopenic obesity screened for obesity with body mass index >27.5 was found in 11 (4%) patients. Multiple regression analysis revealed that sarcopenic obesity screened for obesity with body mass index >27.5 was not significantly associated with the Functional Independence Measure motor score at discharge (β=0.038; 95% confidence interval: -0.046, 0.123; p=0.369). This study revealed a prevalence rate of 4% for sarcopenic obesity diagnosed by the ESPEN and EASO criteria and showed that sarcopenic obesity was not statistically associated with activities of daily living at acute discharge in patients with stroke.

Obesity and comorbidities in COVID-19: a longitudinal observational retrospective study of the main relationships of life risk

Introduction: Currently, around 30% of the world's population is overweight or obese. By 2030, it is estimated that more than 60% of the world's population will be overweight or obese. The COVID19 pandemic has resulted in the worsening of obesity comorbidities. The primary increase in the inflammatory response in obese patients functions as a predictor for the hyperinflammatory state observed in COVID-19. Therefore, this primary increase can be amplified by SARS-CoV-2 infection, increasing the production of cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6. Objective: It was to carry out a retrospective longitudinal observational study to quantitatively analyze how cardiovascular comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, and compromised immunity contribute to the increased risk of life of participants affected by COVID-19. Methods: This study followed a longitudinal observational retrospective design (STROBE). A total of 45 public and official documents from Brazil (ANVISA), WHO (World Health Organization), Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), EASO (The European Association for the Study of Obesity - The European Commission/ National Information on COVID-19, Lancet Resource Centre) and scientific articles were subjected to eligibility analysis and, after that, 32 documents dated from 2019 to 2022 were selected. Results: In total, 3,993,857 participants were found from 32 documents. The highest incidence of deaths occurred in participants who were smokers, had compromised immunity, had diabetes, and were obese. The greatest risk of death was observed among participants who smoke (HR=2.5) and those with compromised immunity (HR=2.1). Despite this, other comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension also presented statistically significant results for the risk of life. It was observed that only the difference between the means of the comorbidities “obesity” and “diabetes” was not statistically significant, with p<0.05, that is, both comorbidities have similar impacts on the worsening and death of participants in the presence of COVID-19. Conclusion: Cardiovascular comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, and compromised immunity contributed to the increased risk of life in participants affected by COVID-19, especially in those of an older age. The endothelial dysfunction caused by SARS-CoV-2 explains why participants with comorbidities related to blood vessels such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are more likely to develop severe COVID-19, even death

Sarcopenic obesity by the ESPEN/EASO criteria for predicting mortality in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) recently released the first international consensus on the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity (SO), which recommended skeletal muscle mass adjusted for body weight (SMM/W) to determine low muscle mass. SMM adjusted for body mass index (SMM/BMI) appeared to be better associated with physical performance than SMM/W. Thus, we modified the ESPEN/EASO criteria by using SMM/BMI. We aimed (1) to evaluate the agreement of the ESPEN/EASO-defined SO (SOESPEN) and the modified ESPEN/EASO-defined SO (SOESPEN-M) with other commonly used SO definitions, and (2) to compare different SO definitions for predicting mortality in a prospective cohort with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This prospective study included patients with advanced NSCLC. We defined SO according to five different diagnostic criteria: SOESPEN, SOESPEN-M, Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS)-determined sarcopenia with BMI-determined obesity (SOAWGS), computed tomography-derived sarcopenia with BMI-determined obesity (SOCT), and fat mass to fat-free mass ratio >0.8 (SOFM). The outcome was all-cause mortality. Of the 639 participants (mean age 58.6 years, 229 women) we studied, 488 (76.4%) died during the median follow-up period of 25 months. SMM/BMI was significantly lower in the death group than in the survivor group (men: p=0.001, women: p<0.001), but SMM/W was not. Only 3 (0.47%) participants metall five SO diagnostic criteria. SOESPEN showed an excellent agreement with SOESPEN-M (Cohen's kappa=0.896), a moderate agreement with SOAWGS (Cohen's kappa=0.415), but poor agreements with SOCT and SOFM (Cohen's kappa=0.078 and 0.092, respectively). After full adjustment for potential confounders, SOESPEN (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.26-1.89), SOESPEN-M (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.26-1.92), and SOAWGS (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.14-1.78) were significantly associated with mortality. However, SOCT (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.87-1.58) and SOFM (HR 1.15, 95% CI 0.90-1.46) showed no significant association with mortality. SOESPEN showed an excellent agreement with SOESPEN-M, a moderate agreement with SOAWGS, but poor agreements with SOCT and SOFM. SOESPEN, SOESPEN-M, and SOAWGS were independent prognostic factors for mortality in our study population, but SOCT and SOFM were not. Although SMM/BMI was better associated with survival than SMM/W, SOESPEN-M did not show an advantage in predicting survival over SOESPEN.

Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission on the Definition and Diagnosis of Clinical Obesity

Obesity was first recognised as a disease by WHO in 1948, then between 2013 and 2022 by several medical societies and countries. 1 WHO ConsultationAppropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet. 2004; 363: 157-163 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8005) Google Scholar , 2 Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2000; 894: 1-253 Google Scholar , 3 Carruba MO Busetto L Bryant S et al. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) endorses the milan charter on urban obesity. Obes Facts. 2021; 14: 163-168 Crossref PubMed Scopus (3) Google Scholar , 4 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric SurgeryConsensus statement on obesity as a disease. https://asmbs.org/resources/consensus-statement-on-obesity-as-a-diseaseDate: 2022 Date accessed: February 20, 2023 Google Scholar , 5 Bray GA Kim KK Wilding JPH World Obesity FObesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017; 18: 715-723 Crossref PubMed Scopus (577) Google Scholar , 6 Jastreboff AM Kotz CM Kahan S Kelly AS Heymsfield SB Obesity as a disease: the Obesity Society 2018 position statement. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2019; 27: 7-9 Crossref PubMed Scopus (152) Google Scholar , 7 Pollack A NY TimesA.M.A. recognizes obesity as a disease. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/19/business/ama-recognizes-obesity-as-a-disease.htmlDate: 2013 Date accessed: February 26, 2023 Google Scholar , 8 Mechanick JI Garber AJ Handelsman Y et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' position statement on obesity and obesity medicine. Endocr Pract. 2012; 18: 642-648 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (92) Google Scholar However, the notion that obesity is a disease and not merely a risk factor for other illnesses remains highly controversial, both within and beyond medical circles. This debate constitutes far more than arcane semantics, and seriously affects the provision of therapeutic strategies to improve health among people living with obesity.

Sarcopenic obesity research perspectives outlined by the sarcopenic obesity global leadership initiative (SOGLI) – Proceedings from the SOGLI consortium meeting in Rome November 2022

The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) launched the Sarcopenic Obesity Global Leadership Initiative (SOGLI) to reach expert consensus on a definition and diagnostic criteria for Sarcopenic Obesity (SO). The present paper describes the proceeding of the Sarcopenic Obesity Global Leadership Initiative (SOGLI) meeting that was held on November 25th and 26th, 2022 in Rome, Italy. This consortium involved the participation of 50 researchers from different geographic regions and countries. The document outlines an agenda advocated by the SOGLI expert panel regarding the pathophysiology, screening, diagnosis, staging and treatment of SO that needs to be prioritized for future research in the field.

The Applicability of the ESPEN and EASO-Defined Diagnostic Criteria for Sarcopenic Obesity in Japanese Patients after Stroke: Prevalence and Association with Outcomes.

Sarcopenic obesity is of growing research and clinical interest; however, validated diagnostic criteria are lacking. We therefore aimed to examine the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity as diagnosed by the criteria recently proposed by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO), and its association with outcomes among patients after stroke. This study was based on a cohort of 760 Japanese patients after stroke admitted to a post-acute rehabilitation hospital. Sarcopenic obesity was diagnosed at admission according to the ESPEN and EASO criteria using reference values specific to Asians. Outcomes included the motor domain of the functional independence measure (FIM-motor) and the food intake level scale (FILS) at discharge. Multivariate linear regression models were used to assess the associations between sarcopenic obesity and outcomes. Among 760 patients (median age, 73 years; 352 women and 408 men), sarcopenic obesity was diagnosed in 34 patients (4.5%; 5.4% of women and 4.1% of men). In multivariate analyses, sarcopenic obesity was independently and negatively associated with FIM-motor (β = −0.048, p = 0.031) and FILS at discharge (β = −0.095, p = 0.046) in women. In contrast, in men, sarcopenic obesity showed an independent negative association with FIM-motor at discharge (β = −0.117, p < 0.001) but no statistically significant association with FILS at discharge (β = −0.004, p = 0.323). In conclusion, the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity diagnosed by the ESPEN and EASO-defined criteria was as low as 4.5% among Japanese patients after stroke. Furthermore, sarcopenic obesity was negatively associated with improvements in activities of daily living and dysphagia.

Prevalence of sarcopenic obesity based on newly proposed diagnostic criteria and functional outcomes in older adults undergoing rehabilitation

In 2022, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) working group proposed uniform diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity. However, no study has adapted these criteria to an Asian population or examined sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed using these criteria or its association with functional outcomes. This retrospective cohort study investigated sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed based on the ESPEN and EASO criteria, and its association with functional outcomes in 1080 older Japanese patients (mean age 79.5 years, 43.5 % male) undergoing rehabilitation. Based on the mentioned criteria, sarcopenic obesity is defined as a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, increased percent body fat (PBF), reduced skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and low handgrip strength. Sarcopenic obesity prevalence was investigated using various ESPEN- and EASO-proposed definitions of increased PBF and reduced SMM. Functional outcomes were evaluated based on whether patients improved in the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The prevalence was 4.3–5.3 %. Sarcopenic obesity was not independently related to FIM MCID achievement. Sarcopenic obesity prevalence—based on the ESPEN and EASO criteria—in older Japanese patients undergoing rehabilitation was low and was not associated with poor functional outcomes.

Definition and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity: ESPEN and EASO consensus statement

Loss of skeletal muscle mass and function (sarcopenia) is common in individuals with obesity due to metabolic changes associated with a sedentary lifestyle, adipose tissue derangements, comorbidities (acute and chronic diseases), and during the ageing process. Co-existence of excess adiposity and low muscle mass/function is referred to as sarcopenic obesity (SO), a condition increasingly recognized for its clinical and functional features that negatively influence important patient-centred outcomes. Effective prevention and treatment strategies for SO are urgently needed, but efforts are hampered by the lack of an universally established SO Definition and diagnostic criteria. Resulting inconsistencies in the literature also negatively affect the ability to define prevalence as well as clinical relevance of SO for negative health outcomes. The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) launched an initiative to reach expert consensus on a Definition and diagnostic criteria for SO. The jointly appointed international expert panel proposes that SO is defined as the co-existence of excess adiposity and low muscle mass/function. The diagnosis of SO should be considered in at-risk individuals who screen positive for a co-occurring elevated body mass index or waist circumference, and markers of low skeletal muscle mass and function (risk factors, clinical symptoms, or validated questionnaires). Diagnostic procedures should initially include assessment of skeletal muscle function, followed by assessment of body composition where presence of excess adiposity and low skeletal muscle mass or related body compartments confirm the diagnosis of SO. Individuals with SO should be further stratified into Stage I in the absence of clinical complications, or Stage II if cases are associated with complications linked to altered body composition or skeletal muscle dysfunction. ESPEN and EASO, as well as the expert international panel, advocate that the proposed SO Definition and diagnostic criteria be implemented into routine clinical practice. The panel also encourages prospective studies in addition to secondary analysis of existing datasets, to study the predictive value, treatment efficacy, and clinical impact of this SO definition.

Silymarin for Treating Toxic Liver Disease: International Consensus Recommendations

Silymarin for Treating Toxic Liver Disease: International Consensus Recommendations

Status of Weight Change, Lifestyle Behaviors, Depression, Anxiety, and Diabetes Mellitus in a Cohort with Obesity during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Turk-Com Study Group

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a lockdown period. Confinement periods have been related to unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Our study aimed to determine weight change, changes in eating and exercise habits, the presence of depression and anxiety, and diabetes mellitus (DM) status in a cohort of patients with obesity. Methods: The study was undertaken in nine centers of Collaborative Obesity Management (COM) of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) in Turkey. An e-survey about weight change, eating habits, physical activity status, DM status, depression, and anxiety was completed by patients. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) score was used to determine physical activity in terms of metabolic equivalents (METs). A healthy nutrition coefficient was calculated from the different categories of food consumption. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Questionnaire were used for determining depression and anxiety, respectively. Results: Four hundred twenty-two patients (age 45 ± 12.7 years, W/M = 350/72) were included. The healthy nutrition coefficient before the pandemic was 38.9 ± 6.2 and decreased to 38.1 ± 6.4 during the pandemic (p < 0.001). Two hundred twenty-nine (54.8%) patients gained weight, 54 (12.9%) were weight neutral, and 135 (32.3%) lost weight. Patients in the weight loss group had higher MET scores and higher healthy nutrition coefficients compared with the weight gain and weight-neutral groups (p < 0.001). The PHQ and GAD scores were not different between the groups. Percent weight loss was related to healthy nutrition coefficient (CI: 0.884 [0.821–0.951], p = 0.001) and MET categories (CI: 0.408 [0.222–0.748], p = 0.004). One hundred seventy patients had DM. Considering glycemic control, only 12 (8.4%) had fasting blood glucose <100 mg/dL and 36 (25.2%) had postprandial BG <160 mg/dL. When patients with and without DM were compared in terms of dietary compliance, MET category, weight loss status, PHQ-9 scores, and GAD-7 scores, only MET categories were different; 29 (11.7%) of patients in the nondiabetic group were in the highly active group compared with 5 (2.9%) in the diabetic group. Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown resulted in weight gain in about half of our patients, which was related to changes in physical activity and eating habits. Patients with DM who had moderate glycemic control were similar to the general population in terms of weight loss but were less active.

Screening for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes using non-invasive scores and association with diabetic complications

ObjectiveNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in patients with type 2 diabetes. Here, we estimate the proportion of patients with type 2 diabetes that should be referred to hepatologists...

Critical appraisal of definitions and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity based on a systematic review.

Sarcopenic obesity is a clinical and functional condition characterized by the coexistence of excess fat mass and sarcopenia. Currently, different definitions of sarcopenic obesity exist and its diagnostic criteria and cut-offs are not universally established. Therefore, the prevalence and sensitivity of this condition for any disease risk prediction is affected significantly. This work was conducted under the auspices of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). An international expert panel performed a systematic review as an initial step to analyze and summarize the available scientific literature on the definitions and the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity proposed and/or applied in human studies to date. The present systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The search was conducted in April 2018 in three databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science). Human studies conducted in both sexes, irrespective of ethnicity, and published from 2007 to 2018 were included; cohorts of individuals with obesity and acute or chronic conditions and treatments reported to negatively influence skeletal muscle mass and function independently of obesity were excluded from final analyses. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) adapted for cross sectional studies. The electronic search retrieved 2335 papers of which 75 met the eligibility criteria. A marked heterogeneity in definitions and approaches to diagnose sarcopenic obesity was observed. This was mainly due to differences in the definitions of obesity and sarcopenia, in the methodologies used to assess body composition and physical function, and in the reference values for the variables that have been used (different cut-offs, interquartile analysis, diverse statistical stratification methods). This variability may be attributable, at least in part, to the availability of the methodologies in the different settings, to the variability in specialties and backgrounds of the researcher, and to the different settings (general population, clinical settings, etc.) where studies were performed. The results of the current work support the need for consensus proposals on: 1) definition of sarcopenic obesity; 2) diagnostic criteria both at the level of potential gold-standards and acceptable surrogates with wide clinical applicability, and with related cut-off values; 3) methodologies to be used in actions 1 and 2. First steps should be aimed at reaching consensus on plausible proposals that would need subsequent validation based on homogeneous studies and databases, possibly based on analyses of existing cohorts, to help define the prevalence of the condition, its clinical and functional relevance as well as most effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Sarcopenic Obesity: Definition, Health Consequences and Clinical Management

Over the last decade, a new condition, which occurs in the presence of both sarcopenia and obesity, has been termed “sarcopenic obesity”. The term describes the coexistence of obesity, defined as the increase in body fat mass deposition, and sarcopenia, defined as the reduction in lean mass and muscle strength. However, many uncertainties still surround the condition of sarcopenic obesity in terms of its definition, the adverse short- and long-term health effects (i.e., medical disease, psychosocial functioning, quality of life and mortality) and its clinical management. The aim of this short communication is to emphasize some crucial aspects that future research should take into account in order to avoid bias and misinterpretations and to underline that the study of sarcopenic obesity should be considered a scientific and clinical priority, as reported by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO).

Sarcopenic obesity: Time to meet the challenge

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has reached epidemic proportions worldwide due to increasingly pervasive obesogenic lifestyle changes. Obesity poses unprecedented individual, social and multi-disciplinary medical challenges by increasing the risk for metabolic diseases, chronic organ failures and cancer, as well as complication rates in the presence of acute disease conditions. Whereas reducing excess adiposity remains the fundamental pathogenetic treatment for obese individuals, complex metabolic and lifestyle abnormalities as well as weight-reduction therapies per se may also compromise the ability to preserve muscle function and mass, especially when chronic disease co-exists with obesity. Emerging evidence indicates that low muscle mass and quality have a strong negative prognostic impact in obese individuals and may lead to frailty, disability and increased morbidity and mortality. Awareness of the importance of skeletal muscle maintenance in obesity is however low among clinicians and scientists. The term "sarcopenic obesity" has been proposed to identify obesity with low skeletal muscle function and mass, but its utilization is largely limited to the aging patient population, and consensus on its definition and diagnostic criteria remains insufficient. Knowledge on prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in various clinical conditions and patient subgroups, on its clinical impacts in patient risk stratification and on effective prevention and treatment strategies remain therefore dramatically inadequate. In particular, optimal dietary options and medical nutritional support strategies to preserve muscle mass in obese individuals remain largely undefined. The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) recognize and indicate obesity with altered body composition due to low skeletal muscle function and mass (sarcopenic obesity) as a scientific and clinical priority for researchers and clinicians. ESPEN and EASO therefore call for coordinated action aimed at reaching consensus on its definition, diagnostic criteria and optimal treatment with particular regard to nutritional therapy. We are convinced that achievement of these goals has strong potential to reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality in the rapidly increasing obese patient population.

Obesity Management Task Force of the European Association for the Study of Obesity Released “Practical Recommendations for the Post-Bariatric Surgery Medical Management”

Bariatric patients may face specific clinical problems after surgery, and multidisciplinary long-term follow-up is usually provided in specialized centers. However, physicians, obstetricians, dieticians, nurses, clinical pharmacists, midwives, and physical therapists not specifically trained in bariatric medicine may encounter post-bariatric patients with specific problems in their professional activity. This creates a growing need for dissemination of first level knowledge in the management of bariatric patients. Therefore, the Obesity Management Task Force (OMTF) of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) decided to produce and disseminate a document containing practical recommendations for the management of post-bariatric patients. The list of practical recommendations included in the EASO/OMTF document is reported in this brief communication.

Statins: An Under-Appreciated Asset for the Prevention and the Treatment of NAFLD or NASH and the Related Cardiovascular Risk.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease (30% of the general population) and up to 40% of cases advance to the more severe form of the disease: nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is causally related to cirrhosis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is no generally accepted effective treatment for NAFLD/NASH. The joint guidelines of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) suggest the "off label" use of pioglitazone in patients without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and pioglitazone in subjects with T2DM or vitamin E or their combination for the treatment of NASH; however pioglitazone has considerable limitations: weight gain, bone fractures in women, and heart failure. The aim of this narrative review is to assess the existing evidence supporting statin use for the treatment of NASH and the reduction of the high CVD risk of these patients. Animal data suggest that there is some benefit from statin use in liver histology in models of NASH. In humans, 3 post hoc analyses of randomised controlled trials (n=1,600, n=1,123, n=8,864) suggest that the use of atorvastatin (even in 80 mg/day) has a beneficial effect on NAFLD/NASH, in terms of liver enzyme reduction and ultrasonographic amelioration. Moreover, and most importantly, statin treatment halved CVD morbidity and mortality in statin-treated NAFLD/NASH patients compared with statin-treated participants with normal liver structure and function and reduced by 2/3rds CVD events in comparison with NAFLD/NASH patients that were not on a statin (90% of this population is not on statins because of the unjustified fear for liver damage). Three biopsy studies (n=20, n=107 and n=356) showed that statin treatment had a protective effect on steatosis, steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Data suggest that statin treatment in humans substantially improve or cure NAFLD/NASH, but above all substantially reduce CVD morbidity and mortality. Administration of potent statins appears safe and effective in saving lives in NAFLD/NASH patients.