Rupolo Viviane Locatelli, Camargo Taiana Lemos, de Oliveira Maranhao Pureza Isabele Rejane, Beretta Mileni Vanti, Garcez Anderson
Post-Graduate Program in Nutrition Sciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, UFCSPA, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Curr Aging Sci. 2025;18(2):147-162. doi: 10.2174/0118746098331277241101025928.
Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is characterized by the simultaneous presence of both obesity and sarcopenia in the same individual, and it is associated with adverse health outcomes such as falls, hospitalization, functional disability, and mortality. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the prevalence of SO in the elderly population through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the scientific literature.
A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and LILACS databases for observational studies published up to July 2023 on the prevalence of SO in individuals aged 65 years or older. Data were collected from the selected and included articles, including general study information, demographic characteristics of the samples, methods, and results. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) criteria. A random-effects model was applied for the quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis) of combined prevalence data, and the I-squared index (I²) was used to assess heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using a funnel plot and Egger's test.
A total of 37 articles meeting the eligibility criteria were selected and included in this meta-analysis. Heterogeneity among the studies was observed, along with evidence of publication bias. Most studies were classified as having a high risk of bias. The pooled prevalence of SO in the elderly was 10% (95% CI: 8%-12%; I²: 99.10%, p<0.001). A similar result was observed after stratification by sex, with a prevalence of 10% in both men (95% CI: 8%-12%; I²: 97.46%, p<0.001) and women (95% CI: 8%-12%; I²: 98.72%, p<0.001). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses revealed that the study setting, criteria used for the diagnosis of obesity, and the risk of bias in the studies were potential factors contributing to the heterogeneity in the prevalence of SO in the elderly.
This meta-analysis indicated a significant prevalence of SO among the elderly population, with no difference by sex, highlighting SO as a substantial health problem in this population. These findings underscore the importance of interventions to reduce the occurrence of SO in the elderly.
肌少性肥胖（SO）的特征是同一个体同时存在肥胖和肌少症，并且它与跌倒、住院、功能残疾和死亡等不良健康结局相关。本研究旨在通过对科学文献进行系统综述和荟萃分析，全面分析老年人群中SO的患病率。
在PubMed、Embase、Web of Science和LILACS数据库中进行系统检索，以查找截至2023年7月发表的关于65岁及以上个体中SO患病率的观察性研究。从选定并纳入的文章中收集数据，包括一般研究信息、样本的人口统计学特征、方法和结果。使用纽卡斯尔-渥太华量表（NOS）标准评估研究质量。对合并患病率数据进行定量综合（荟萃分析）时应用随机效应模型，并使用I²指数评估异质性。使用漏斗图和Egger检验评估发表偏倚。
总共筛选出37篇符合纳入标准的文章并纳入本荟萃分析。观察到研究之间存在异质性，同时存在发表偏倚的证据。大多数研究被归类为具有高偏倚风险。老年人中SO的合并患病率为10%（95%置信区间：8%-12%；I²：99.10%，p<0.001）。按性别分层后观察到类似结果，男性患病率为10%（95%置信区间：8%-12%；I²：97.46%，p<0.001），女性患病率为10%（95%置信区间：8%-12%；I²：98.72%，p<0.001）。亚组分析和敏感性分析表明，研究背景、肥胖诊断所用标准以及研究中的偏倚风险是导致老年人中SO患病率异质性的潜在因素。
本荟萃分析表明老年人群中SO的患病率较高，且不存在性别差异，凸显了SO是该人群中的一个重大健康问题。这些发现强调了采取干预措施以减少老年人中SO发生的重要性。
