title: Sarcopenic obesity: definition, cause and consequences.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Older obese persons with decreased muscle mass or strength are at special risk for adverse outcomes. We discuss potential pathways to muscle impairment in obese individuals and the consequences that joint obesity and muscle impairment may have on health and disability. Tantamount to this discussion is whether low muscle mass or, rather, muscle weakness should be used for the definition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Excess energy intake, physical inactivity, low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance and changes in hormonal milieu may lead to the development of so-called 'sarcopenic obesity'. It was originally believed that the culprit of age-related muscle weakness was a reduction in muscle mass, but it is now clear that changes in muscle composition and quality are predominant. We propose that the risk of adverse outcomes, such as functional limitation and mortality, is better estimated by considering jointly obesity and muscle strength rather than obesity and muscle mass and the term 'sarcopenic obesity' should be revisited.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognition of obese patients who have associated muscle problems is an essential goal for clinicians. Further research is needed to identify new target for prevention and cure of this important geriatric syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Longitudinal Studies Section, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland 21225-1233, USA.
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stenholm
authors.forename: Tamara B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rantanen
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kritchevsky
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors