Sarcopenic Obesity in Older Adults

Main Article Content

Pornkamol Tiranaprakij
Sirasa Ruangritchankul

Abstract

Sarcopenic obesity is a combination of obesity and loss of skeletal muscle mass. Sarcopenic obesity is a common problem in the aging population. The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in older adults is 11% to 14%. This condition contributes to metabolic and geriatric syndrome, morbidity and mortality, resulting in increased hospitalization rates and healthcare expenditures. Pathophysiology of sarcopenic obesity includes changes in muscle composition and quality, and hormonal shift. Sarcopenic obesity is diagnosed by the criteria proposed by The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). The treatment guideline for sarcopenic obesity is non-pharmacological treatment such as appropriate diet and exercise to increase muscle mass and strength, and to decrease fat mass. However, pharmacological treatment has never been approved for older adults.  Therefore, we aimed to update the diverse points of sarcopenic obesity in older persons, including definition, prevalence, consequences, diagnosis, and management.      


 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
1.
Tiranaprakij P, Ruangritchankul S. Sarcopenic Obesity in Older Adults . R. Thai Army Med. J. [internet]. 2025 Mar. 31 [cited 2025 Dec. 7];78(1):51-62. available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/rtamedj/article/view/270035
Section
บทความฟื้นวิชา (Subject Review)

References

Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Baeyens JP, Bauer JM, Boirie Y, Cederholm T, Landi F, et al. Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis - Report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. Age Ageing. 2010;39:412-23.

Ng WL, Ng GK, Soo KL, Rohan K, Tai ZM, Lee CY, et al. Evaluating the concurrent validity of body mass index (BMI) in the identification of malnutrition in older hospital inpatients. Clin Nutr. 2019;38(5):2417-22.

Volkert D, Beck AM, Cederholm T, Cruz-Jentoft A, Goisser S, Hooper L, et al. ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics. Clin Nutr. 2019;38(1):10-47.

Donini LM, Busetto L, Bischoff SC, Cederholm T, Ballesteros-Pomar MD, Batsis JA, et al. Definition and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity: ESPEN and EASO consensus statement. Obes Facts. 2022;15(3):321-35.

Gao Q, Hu Z, Lin W, Tian H, He W, Cui Y. Global prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Nutr. 2021;40:4633-41.

Luo Y, Wang X, Wang H, Chen X. Prevalence of sarcopenic obesity in the older nonhospitalized population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Geriatr. 2024;24:357.

Mitchell WK, Williams J, Atherton P, Larvin M, Lund J, Narici M. Sarcopenia, dynapenia, and the impact of advancing age on human skeletal muscle size and strength: a quantitative review. Front Physiol. 2012;3:260.

Larsson L, Degens H, Li M, Salviati L, Lee YI, Thompson W, et al. Sarcopenia: agingrelated loss of muscle mass and function. Physiol Rev. 2019;99:427-511.

Kawai T, Autieri MV, Scalia R. Adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction in obesity. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2021;320:C375–C39.

Sakuma K, Yamaguchi A. Sarcopenic obesity and endocrinal adaptation with age. Int J Endocrinol. 2013;2013:204164.

Roberts SB, Dallal GE. Energy requirements and aging. Public Health Nutr. 2005;8(7A):1028-36.

Baek SJ, Nam GE, Han KD, Choi SW, Kim NH, Ryu S, et al. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity and their association with dyslipidemia in Korean elderly men: the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. J Endocrinol Invest. 2014;37:247-60.

Hirani V, Naganathan V, Blyth F, Le Couteur DG, Seibel MJ, Waite LM, et al. Longitudinal associations between body composition, sarcopenic obesity and outcomes of frailty, disability, institutionalisation and mortality in community-dwelling older men: the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project. Age Ageing. 2017;46:413-20.

Murawiak M, Czerniak U, Błaszczyk-Bebenek E, Filip R, Grochowska-Niedworok E, Lange E, et al. Sarcopenia, obesity, sarcopenic obesity and risk of poor nutritional status in Polish community-dwelling older people aged 60 years and over. Nutrients. 2022;14:2889.

Tian S, Xu Y. Association of sarcopenic obesity with the risk of all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2016;16(2):155-166.

Chen LK, Woo J, Assantachai P, Auyeung TW, Chou MY, Iijima K, et al. Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 consensus update on sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2020;21(3):300-307.e2.

Samsen M, Suwanwela NC, Tangwongchai S, Thavornpitak Y, Suwanwela N. Appropriate body mass index and waist circumference cutoffs for middle and older age group in Thailand: data of 19,621 participants from Thai Epidemiologic Stroke (TES) Study. J Med Assoc Thai. 2012;95:9.

Champaiboon J, Petchlorlian A, Manasvanich BA, Ubonsutvanich N, Jitpugdee W, Kittiskulnam P,et al. Calf circumference as a screening tool for low skeletal muscle mass: Cut-off values in independent Thai older adults. BMC Geriatr. 2023;23(1):826.

Akarapornkrailert P, Tantivitayatan K, Suriyaamporn V, Sirikulchayanonta C, Supaungsombat C, Noppakun K, et al. Validation of the Thai version of SARC-F, MSRA-7, and MSRA-5 questionnaires compared to AWGS 2019 and sarcopenia risks in older patients at a medical outpatient clinic. Osteoporos Sarcopenia. 2020;6(4):205-211.

Abiri B, Zhang Z, Wirth MD, Shivappa N, Hebert JR. The Implication on the Prevention and Improvement of Age-related Sarcopenic Obesity: A Systematic Review. J Nutr Health Aging. 2024;27(10):842-52.

Devries MC, McGlory C, Bolster DR, Kamil A, Rahn M, Harkness L, et al. Protein leucine content is a determinant of shorter- and longer-term muscle protein synthetic responses at rest and following resistance exercise in healthy older women: a randomized, controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107:217-26.

El Hajj C, Fares S, Chardigny JM, Boirie Y, Walrand S. Vitamin D supplementation and muscle strength in pre-sarcopenic elderly Lebanese people: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Osteoporos. 2018;14:4.

Chen HT, Chung YC, Chen YJ, Ho SY, Wu HJ. Effects of different types of exercise on body composition, muscle strength, and IGF-1 in the elderly with sarcopenic obesity. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017;65:827-32.

Villareal DT, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, Waters DL, Sinacore DR, Colombo E, et al. Aerobic or resistance exercise, or both, in dieting obese older adults. N Engl J Med. 2017;376:1943-55.