Can physical activity levels and relationships with energy expenditure change the clinical aspects of sarcopenia and perceptions of falls among elderly women? Observational cross-sectional study

Abstract

A sedentary lifestyle is the primary risk factor for muscle weakness. 1 Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscle mass and function, affects quality of life and increases the risk of physical limitations and disability among older adults. 1,2 Currently, epidemiological statistics show that sarcopenia affects about 50% of elderly people, depending on the country, ethnicity of the patient, diagnostic criteria and healthcare setting. [1][2][3][4] Overall, the prevalence among men is about 25% and among women, 20%. 2,5 Thus, loss of muscle mass appears to be an inevitable part of the aging process, especially with decreasing physical performance with aging. [5][6][7][8][9] Scientific evidence has shown that sarcopenia begins to develop between the ages of 30 and 40 years. It progresses with muscle mass declining by an average of 8% per decade between the ages of 40 and 70 years, and accelerates to 15% per decade from the age of 70 years onwards, with variation between men and women. 8,10 Sarcopenia is associated with functional decline, falls, disabilities and fractures, increased mortality among older adults and increased medical expenditure. [1][2][3][4][5] This disease has many causes, including genetics, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disturbances, inflammation through production of proinflammatory cytokines by adipose tissue, physical inactivity 4,[11][12][13][14] and physical limitations. [15][16][17][18] Among all these risk factors, research has shown that the greatest cause of sarcopenia is insufficient physical activity and lack of exercise with advancing age, and this has attracted the attention of science and healthcare professionals who are involved in its treatment. 4,5,[12][13][14][15]

Associations between sarcopenia and undernutrition in brazilian older adults, using five cut-off points for muscle strength

“…This can be explained by 46.2% of older adults reported physical activity twice or more of week. Several studies have shown that physical activity is associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia (25)(26)(27)(28)(29). A study conducted among Japanese communitybased older adults demonstrated that 7% were sarcopenic by AWGS criteria (30).…”

Influencing factors of weak grip strength and fall: a study based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

“…Some evidences revealed that high PA indicated higher muscle mass, muscle strength and better physical performance compared with low and moderate PA levels [ 52 , 53 ]. But others did not suggest such association [ 54 , 55 ].…”

The Relationship between physical activity, nutritional status, and sarcopenia in community- dwelling older adults with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study

“…Sarcopenia is a progressive and widespread age-related skeletal muscle disorder that increases the risk of disability, falls, and fall related injuries and increases hospitalization and mortality rates for patients [5]. The global pandemic of sarcopenia, skeletal muscle loss, and weakness, which prevails in up to 50% of older adults, is increasing worldwide due to the expansion of aging populations (especially if they are older than 80, frail and inactive), there is a strong relationship between nutrition [6], exercise [7] and sarcopenia. The MNA is a Mini Nutrition Scale specifically designed to evaluate the nutritional status of older adults, which includes anthropometric measurements, a holistic assessment, a dietary questionnaire, and a subjective assessment [8].…”