Sarcopenic obesity linked to dementia in elderly patients

Medical Xpress / Juntendo University Research Promotion Center / Clinical Nutrition ^ | May 26, 2022 | Yuki Someya et al

[ConservativeMind]

Obesity, an increasingly prevalent lifestyle disease, often occurs along with poor muscle mass. This condition, called sarcopenic obesity, is evaluated based on the patients' body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength. Interestingly, sarcopenic obesity is known to increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Dementia, a cognitive condition where memory, thinking and social abilities progressively decline, is known to significantly affect the quality of life in elderly people. Is this condition associated with sarcopenic obesity?

A group of researchers explored this very question. "If the association between sarcopenic obesity and dementia is established, appropriate preventive measures can be taken to reduce the occurrence of this condition."

In the study, the researchers recruited 1,615 older Japanese adults. The researchers divided the subjects into four groups based on their sarcopenia and obesity status: those with obesity, those with sarcopenia, those with sarcopenic obesity, and those without obesity or sarcopenia (control). They studied the link between various mental processes, sarcopenia, and obesity status. Sarcopenia or poor muscle strength was determined based on a handgrip strength of less than 28 kg in men and 18 kg in women, while obesity status was given to patients with a BMI greater than 25 kg/m2.

They found that 59.4% of the population had neither obesity nor sarcopenia, 21.2% had obesity, 14.6% had sarcopenia, and 4.7% of the population had sarcopenic obesity. The participants with sarcopenic obesity had the greatest rate of MCI and dementia, followed by those with sarcopenia, obesity, and finally the control group. When the team ran multivariate analyses to check for statistically relevant associations, they found that sarcopenic obesity was independently associated with an increased prevalence of MCI and dementia compared with the absence of sarcopenia and obesity. The study also showed that sarcopenia is significantly associated with dementia in women, but not in men.

[ConservativeMind]

Eliminating either condition radically cuts the chance of dementia to just 7.6% by getting rid of obesity or just 2.6% by getting rid of poor muscle mass.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Big Red Badger]

They need to get a Grip and
Get busy Living!
.
A Firm GRIP!