title: Prevalence of sarcopenia and associated factors in the healthy older adults of the Peruvian Andes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of sarcopenia and associated factors in a population of older people living in a rural area of the Peruvian Andes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study concerned 222 people aged ≥65 years. Sarcopenia was diagnosed on the basis of skeletal muscle mass, measured using bioimpedance analysis, and gait speed, measured with the 4-m walking test, as recommended by the International Working Group on sarcopenia. Self-reported physical activity, the Short Physical Performance Battery, and the Six-Minute Walking Test also contributed information on participants' physical performance status. Disabilities were investigated by assessing participants' self-reported difficulties in performing one or more basic or instrumental activities of daily living.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of sarcopenia was 17.6%. Compared with participants without sarcopenia, individuals who were found sarcopenic were significantly older, female and were less frequently farmers, had fewer children, had a worse nutritional status, a significantly lower physical performance, and higher levels of disability in the instrumental activities of daily living. After adjusting for potential confounders, age, female sex, a low body mass index, a self-reported low physical activity level, a worse Six-Minute Walking Test scores, and a low number of children were significantly associated with sarcopenia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of sarcopenia seems to be quite high among community-dwelling older subjects in the Peruvian Andes. Age, female sex, a low body mass index, little physical activity, a poor Six-Minute Walking Test scores, and a low number of children could be associated with this condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tramontano
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy; Institute for Clinical Research and Education in Medicine (IREM), Padova, Italy. Electronic address: ilmannato@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Veronese
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy; National Research Council, Aging Branch, Neuroscience Institute, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manzato
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Hurtado
authors.affiliation: National Research Council, Aging Branch, Neuroscience Institute, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trevisan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Zaiacomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (DIMED), Geriatrics Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Valter
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giantin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D000070857:Walk Test
keywords: Activities of daily living; Body mass index; Instrumental activities of daily living; Motor activity; Sarcopenia