Abdominal obesity as a risk factor for sarcopenia among the community-dwelling older adults: data from baseline phase of Birjand longitudinal aging study.

OBJECTIVES

Sarcopenia could be linked to abdominal obesity through various mechanisms. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between sarcopenia and abdominal obesity among community-dwelling aged population.

METHODS

Data were collected from 1356 eligible older adults (≥ 60 years) who participated in the baseline phase of Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS) in 2019. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), a body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), and body adiposity index (BAI) were measured. Sarcopenia was assessed based on hand grip strength, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) and gait speed.

RESULTS

In the studied population, 834 individuals were sarcopenic. The best predictors of sarcopenia and low gait speed were BAI and WHtR (AUC = 0.61 to 0.65). All abdominal obesity indices were risk factors for sarcopenia, except for WHR. ABSI was significantly and directly associated with sarcopenia, only in the crude model (OR (95%CI): 1.14 (1.02; 1.28),  = 0.02). WHR, WHtR, BMI, and WC increased and ABSI decreased the odds of low handgrip strength.

CONCLUSIONS

Most abdominal obesity indices were identified as risk factors for sarcopenia except for WHR. Anthropometric indices can be considered for evaluating the risk of sarcopenia in the elderly.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-025-01616-6.