title: Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for sarcopenia - a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sarcopenia, a loss of muscle strength and mass, has serious implications for older adults. Some risk factors for sarcopenia are well established. The role of other factors such as alcohol consumption is less certain. The main aim of this study was to explore the relationship between sarcopenia and alcohol consumption in people over 65 years old.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four electronic databases were searched to identify potentially relevant papers. Demographics and information on sarcopenia and alcohol consumption were extracted from relevant papers. The relationship between sarcopenia and alcohol consumption was described using odds ratios (ORs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 214 papers identified as potentially relevant, 13 were ultimately included in the meta-analyses. The papers provided data from 13,155 participants. The OR (95 % CI) for sarcopenia among alcohol drinkers was 0.67 (0.54-0.83) for males, 0.89 (0.73-1.08) for females, and 0.77 (0.67-0.88) for the overall population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this meta-analysis do not support alcohol consumption as a risk factor for sarcopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. steffl@ftvs.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steffl
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bohannon
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petr
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kohlikova
authors.affiliation: Centre of Gerontology, Faculty of Humanities, Charles University Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holmerova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*
keywords: Aging; Alcohol; Sarcopenia