title: Prevalence of sarcopenia in older Brazilians: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and function that evolves into disability, loss of independence and death. In Brazil the number of older people is rapidly growing, resulting in an increased prevalence of chronic conditions associated with old age. As prevalence estimates provide essential information to policymakers when developing healthcare strategies, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of sarcopenia in older Brazilians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic database searches and hand-searching in relevant journals and reference lists were carried out without language restriction. Studies that reported the prevalence of sarcopenia in Brazilians aged 60 years or older were considered for inclusion. Sarcopenia was defined as low muscle mass, low muscle function or low muscle mass and function. Meta-analysis was carried out using a random-effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 31 studies were included pooling 9416 participants. The overall prevalence of sarcopenia in older Brazilians was 17.0% (95% CI 13.0-22.0). Sensitivity analysis showed rates of 20.0% (95% CI 11.0-32.0) in women and 12.0% (95% CI 9.0-16.0) in men. Prevalence was 16.0% (95% CI 12.0-23.0) based on low muscle mass and function; and 17.0% (95% CI 9.0-31.0) based only on low muscle mass. The difference between these two criteria was not significant (P = 0.96).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sarcopenia is an emerging public health issue in Brazil. Attention should be paid to changes in prevalence rates over the next years because of the increase in the older population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 5-16.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliano Bergamaschine Mata
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2849-2081
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Diz
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda Aparecida Oliveira
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Leopoldino
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno de Souza
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Henschke
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosangela Correa
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leani Souza Máximo
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vinicius Cunha
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: age-related muscle loss; epidemiology; meta-analysis; prevalence; public health