Relationship Between Sarcopenia, Obesity, Osteoporosis, and Cardiometabolic Health Conditions and Physical Activity Levels in Korean Older Adults

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the status of sarcopenia, obesity, osteoporosis, and cardiometabolic disease according to the level of physical activity (PA) among elderly people in Korea. Among the data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (2008–2011), we analyzed the data of a total of 3,573 Korean elderly people over 65 years of age who were surveyed for dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and PA. Higher levels of PA were associated with a lower prevalence of cardiometabolic disease (χ2 = 33.865, p < 0.001), osteoporosis (χ2 = 94.198, p < 0.001), sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity (χ2 = 71.828, p < 0.001). Above moderate-active PA was associated with lower body weight (p < 0.001), body fat mass (p < 0.001), and percent body fat (p < 0.001), and higher free-fat mass (p < 0.001) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) (p < 0.001) than in low-active PA. In addition, when high-active is the risk factors of cardiometabolic were lower in waist circumference (p = 0.001), total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.015), and triglyceride (TG) (p < 0.001) than low- and moderate-active PA, and higher in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases was significantly decreased in high-active PA (odds ratio (OR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50–0.71); waist circumference (OR 0.85, 95% CI, 0.73–0.99; OR 0.59, 95% CI, 0.50–0.70) and HDL-C (OR 0.76, 95% CI, 0.65–0.88; OR 0.56, 95% CI, 0.47–0.67) significantly improved in moderate- and high-active PA, respectively, and TG (0.67 95% CI, 0.55–0.80) significantly improved in high-active PA. Osteoporosis (OR 0.62, 95% CI, 0.53–0.74; OR 0.46, 95% CI, 0.38–0.55) and sarcopenia (OR 0.77, 95% CI, 0.60–0.98; OR 0.73, 95% CI, 0.57–0.93) were significantly improved in moderate- and high-active PA, respectively. The incidence of obesity (OR 0.47, 95% CI, 0.39–0.57) and sarcopenic obesity (OR 0.47, 95% CI, 0.30–0.75) were significantly decreased in high-active PA. Therefore, we verified a lower prevalence of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, obesity, and cardiac metabolic disease in Korean elderly with more active PA. This suggests that more active PA maybe reduce the prevalence of sarcopenia, osteoporosis, obesity, and cardiometabolic diseases in older adults.

Cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between body flexibility and sarcopenia

“…Flexibility is necessary for moving and performing physical activities, 13 , 14 , 15 and participants with low flexibility were likely to be physically inactive. 27 , 28 Our data also supported these views. We found that participants with high flexibility were more likely to have a high level of physical activity and had less decrease in METs consumed by physical activity after 4 years than participants with low flexibility.…”

Effects of Omega-3 Supplementation Alone and Combined with Resistance Exercise on Skeletal Muscle in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…This cost has undoubtedly risen even more due to the aging population, and it is suggested that more high-quality research utilizing cost-effective strategies to counteract these effects is warranted [ 3 ]. Further, several scientific studies have demonstrated the association of sarcopenia with metabolic function and inflammation [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Chronic low-grade inflammation associated with aging (i.e., ‘inflammaging’) is known to precipitate metabolic syndrome, which may have a reciprocal function in perpetuating the ‘inflammaging’, creating a vicious cycle leading to skeletal muscle mass loss due to the catabolic activity of pro-inflammatory mediators [ 9 ].…”

Muscle and Bone: An Indissoluble Union

“…As in bone, where the loss of tissue volume and quality predisposes to fractures, a loss of mass and quality in muscle could have deleterious consequences that include higher falls risk, cardiometabolic disturbances, reduced physical performance, and increased mortality. ( 7 ) However, a major challenge in the muscle field has been the identification of an accurate, reliable, and cost‐effective method to quantify muscle mass that, at the same time, could be used as a strong predictor of adverse outcomes in older persons with sarcopenia.…”