Prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia in older Taiwanese living in rural community: the Tianliao Old People study 04.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to show the prevalence and associated factors of sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia in rural community-dwelling older Taiwanese.


METHODS
Using the whole community sampling method, a total of 285 men and 264 women aged over 65 years were randomly sampled (response rate = 50%) from Tianliao District, southern Taiwan, in 2012. Participants were interviewed by trained investigators to complete a validated structural questionnaire. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and skeletal muscle mass was estimated by Janssen's equation. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score, Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, grip strength, gait speed and short physical performance battery (SPPB) were obtained by the standard procedures. Sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia were defined according to the 2010 consensus of the Report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People.


RESULTS
Of the 549 study participants, 39 (7.1%) were classified as having sarcopenia and 31 (5.6%) participants were classified as having severe sarcopenia. Using multiple logistic regression models, the age, sex, working status, waist circumference, body mass index, hypertensive history, MNA and SPPB score were independently associated with different stages of sarcopenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately one-fifth of community-dwelling older adults were facing the threat of sarcopenia in southern Taiwan. The older age, female sex, lower body mass index, higher waist circumference, a history of hypertension, lower MNA or SPPB score and not working regularly were associated factors for either sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia.
Department of Family Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Gerontology, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chih-Hsing
CH
Wu
Kuan-Ting
KT
Chen
Meng-Tzu
MT
Hou
Yin-Fan
YF
Chang
Chin-Sung
CS
Chang
Ping-Yen
PY
Liu
Shin-Jiuan
SJ
Wu
Ching-Ju
CJ
Chiu
I-Ming
IM
Jou
Chuan-Yu
CY
Chen
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001823:Body Composition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
Mini-Nutritional Assessment; bioelectrical impedance analysis; short physical performance battery; skeletal muscle mass