Obesity is common diagnosed in those with a body mass index above 30and can lead to a variety of health problems, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but a new study warns that sarcopenic obesity is taking the situation to an even worse level.
what is Sarcopenic obesity?
The word “sarcopenic” comes from the ancient Greek language and means “weakness of the body”, where flesh means muscle mass. Sarcopenic obesity occurs when body fat is excessive, but muscle mass continues to decline, leading to serious health problems, and its effects intensify the risk of standard obesity. New research from the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil.
What causes sarcopenic obesity?
While sarcopenia a a type of muscle atrophy caused by agingwhere there is an increased loss of muscle mass and strength, in sarcopenic obesity muscle loss is accelerated due to excess fat and worsened by further oxidative stress related to poor lifestyle choices or other underlying medical conditions.
How was the last study conducted and what were the results?
Data from more than 5,000 people followed for more than 12 years showed that the combination of excess body mass and reduced muscle mass was a significant risk factor for death. The study concluded that those with sarcopenic obesity were 83% more likely to die than those without excess fat and/or muscle mass.
“In addition to assessing the risk of death associated with abdominal obesity and low muscle mass, we were able to demonstrate that simple methods can be used to identify sarcopenic obesity.” said Professor Tiago da Silva Alexandre, co-author of the study. “Thus, our findings allow older adults to have greater access to early interventions, such as nutritional monitoring and physical activity, that improve quality of life.”
How to detect sarcopenic obesity early
Typically, the detection of sarcopenic obesity involves expensive imaging tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, but such resources are not always available. By analyzing the data of more than 5,000 people, scientists were able to find their own model for diagnosing this disease. “By comparing data from participants in the ELSA study, we found that simple measures such as measuring abdominal circumference and estimating lean body mass (using an integrated equation that takes into account clinical variables such as age, sex, weight, race and height) showed for the first time that it is possible to screen these individuals early.” Early detection allows for interventions that can lead to potential treatments, including weight loss plans, resistance training, and addressing other medical causes.
Why BMI alone doesn’t tell the full story
While excess body fat has long been dismissed for its debilitating effects, science is paying more attention to the dangers of lower levels of muscle mass. Those with low muscle mass but no abdominal obesity were still at a greater risk of death. “The finding reinforces the potential risk of coexisting conditions,” explained Professor Valdete Regina Guandalini, first author of the groundbreaking study.
To predict the risk of sarcopenic obesity, the team defined abdominal obesity as abdominal circumference greater than 102 centimeters for men and 88 centimeters for women. Low muscle mass is defined as a skeletal muscle mass index less than 9.36 kg/m² for men and less than 6.73 kg/m² for women.
