The prevalence of obesity with sarcopenia is increasing in adults aged 65 years, and this geriatric syndrome places individuals at risk for synergistic complications. John A. Batsis, MD, associate professor in the division of geriatric medicine, led a study to investigate whether sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity are associated with greater long-term risk of impaired cognitive function, published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-term Care Medicine.
The study was designed using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Survey and the setting included community-based older adults. Sarcopenia was defined using the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project grip strength cut points (men <35.5 kg; women <20 kg). Obesity was defined using standard body mass index (BMI) categories. Impaired global cognition was identified as impairment in the Alzheimer’s Disease-8 score or immediate/delayed recall, orientation, clock-draw test, date/person recall. Proportional hazard models ascertained the risk of impaired cognitive function over 8 years.
In the 5,822 participants (55.7% women), the median age category was 75 to 80, and the mean grip strength and BMI were 26.4 kg and 27.5 kg/m2, respectively. Baseline prevalence of sarcopenic obesity was 12.9%, with an observed subset of 21.2% participants having impaired cognitive function at follow-up. Compared with those without sarcopenia or obesity, the risk of impaired cognitive function was no different in obesity alone, but was significantly higher in sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity.
Learn more about the study here.