Association of physical activity with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling older adults: the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

• Published in: Age and ageing 2013-11, Vol.42 (6), p.734-740
• Main Authors: Ryu, Mikyung, Jo, Jaeseong, Lee, Yunhwan, Chung, Yoon-Sok, Kim, Kwang-Min, Baek, Weon-Chil
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aging; Asian people; Chi-Square Distribution; Demographic aspects; Exercise; Female; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics; Health aspects; Humans; Independent Living; Logistic Models; Male; Motor Activity; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology; Nutrition Surveys; Obesity; Obesity - diagnosis; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - physiopathology; Obesity - prevention & control; Odds Ratio; Older people; Organ Size; Physical fitness; Predictive Value of Tests; Prevalence; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Sarcopenia; Sarcopenia - diagnosis; Sarcopenia - epidemiology; Sarcopenia - physiopathology; Sarcopenia - prevention & control; Sex Factors; Waist Circumference
• ISSN: 0002-0729; 1468-2834
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/aft063

this study examined the association of physical activity with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity among the community-dwelling Korean elderly. subjects consisted of 2,264 aged 65 years or older in the 2008-09 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sarcopenia was defined as 2 SD below the mean of the appendicular skeletal muscle/weight for healthy young adults. Obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥ 85 cm for women. Levels of physical activity were classified using the metabolic equivalent task method. the prevalence of sarcopenia was 12.1% in men and 11.9% in women. Among those with sarcopenia, obesity was prevalent in 68.3% of men and 65.0% of women. Adjusting for all covariates, compared with those with low physical activity, men who engaged in moderate and high activity were 38% and 74%, respectively, less likely to have sarcopenia (Ptrend < 0.001). In women, the relationship between physical activity and sarcopenia was not significant. For sarcopenic obesity, men participating in moderate [odds ratio (OR) = 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26-0.87] and high (OR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12-0.60) physical activity, compared with low activity, had significantly lower risk (Ptrend = 0.001). In women, high physical activity was associated with a lower risk of sarcopenic obesity (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22-0.86). physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older Korean adults. There were gender differences in the relationship, with stronger associations observed in men than in women.