title: Sarcopenic obesity is closely associated with metabolic syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to investigate whether sarcopenic obesity (SO) was associated with MetS.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 600 community-dwelling males and females aged 63.6 ± 10.1 years in Northern Taiwan were enrolled in this study. Sarcopenia was defined by the percentage of total skeletal mass (total skeletal muscle mass (kg)/weight (kg) x 100). Cut-offs were established at <37% in men and <27.6% in women using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m(2). MetS was defined by the consensus of National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III modified for Asians. The association between MetS and SO was examined using multivariate logistic regression analyses after controlling potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SO group demonstrated a higher risk for MetS (odds ratio [OR] 11.59 [95% confidence interval [CI] 6.72-19.98]) than the obese group (7.53 [4.01-14.14]) and sarcopenic group (1.98 [1.25-3.16]). The individual components including waist circumference, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and fasting serum glucose were independently associated with SO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SO is a major risk factor for MetS. The BIA method and BMI can easily identify subjects at high risk for MetS. The underlying mechanism for the relationship between SO and MetS warrants further research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University, Yun-Lin Branch, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Kuen-Cheh
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hao-Hsiang
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Long-Teng
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ching-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kuo-Chin
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL