Prevalence of sarcopenia among the elderly: findings from broad cross-sectional studies in a range of countries

AbstractSarcopenia is characterized by the generalized and progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with age. Due to the rapid growth of the global elderly population, it has become necessary to better understand the factors associated with the aging process. Therefore, to describe the frequency and distribution of such factors, including sarcopenia, it is essential to understand the issues connected with its occurrence and provide health care to the elderly. The aim of this review was to show the summary findings of epidemiological population-based studies on sarcopenia prevalence among community-dwelling elderly people, including the socio-demographic characteristics of the populations studied and the difference in outcomes between genders. The findings of six cross-sectional studies performed between 2002 and 2014 in the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan were described. It was found from assessment of these six studies that sarcopenia is highly prevalent in the population aged over 60 and in both genders. Prevalence was higher among women in five of the six studies. Japan had the highest prevalence, followed by Brazil. Sarcopenia increased with age in all the studies and was associated with several health problems. It was difficult to establish a standardized assessment of sarcopenia, mainly due to the particularities of each population, an essential feature to be considered when reading studies about the prevalence of this syndrome.