[Sarcopenia in the elderly: diagnosis and treatment].

The proportion of the population aged 65 years and older in Taiwan was 11.15% in 2012. This is expected to rise to 20% in 2026, at which time, the country would become a super-aged society. Sarcopenia, with a worldwide prevalence among people 65 years of age and older between 9.5% and 50%, has gained increasing attention in recent years. It is estimated that two-hundred million people worldwide will suffer from sarcopenia within 40 years. The various causes of sarcopenia include aging, inappropriate diet, a bedridden or sedentary lifestyle, chronic diseases, and hormones. The definition and interpretation of sarcopenia uses a cutoff point of 2 standard deviations below the muscle mass in young adults between the ages of 18 and 40 years. The quadriceps muscles are most commonly used to assess sarcopenia. A bioimpedance analyzer is appropriate for community-based assessment work because this instrument is inexpensive, easily operated, and portable. Decreased muscle mass in the elderly causes sarcopenia, which leads to movement disorders, fall events, fractures, loss of the capacity to live independently, frailty, and increased mortality risk. Therefore, developing a comprehensive care program for sarcopenia, including resistance training and sufficient protein and vitamin D intake, should be a priority task and important research focus for nursing professionals.