Sarcopenic Obesity may be Common in Older Adults Living in the Community

Dr. Nitin Kapoor, Professor and Head (Unit 1), Dept. of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore (TN) India

Sarcopenic obesity was found in around 10% of older adults in the community and was associated with several demographic, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors.

Sarcopenic obesity occurs when sarcopenia and obesity coexist and is an important global health concern. It is associated with many adverse health outcomes like physical dysfunction, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, falls, disability, and death. These complications can negatively affect quality of life and place an additional burden on healthcare systems.

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Nutrients examined the prevalence, associated factors, and prognosis of sarcopenic obesity among older adults living in the community. Researchers searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CNKI, CBM, Wanfang, and VIP databases from inception through December 31, 2025.

The analysis included 37 studies involving a total of 80,337 older adults. The pooled prevalence of sarcopenic obesity was 10%.

Several factors were associated with sarcopenic obesity, including older age, male sex, low physical activity, low income, unemployment, and insufficient energy intake. Moderate-to-high physical activity was associated with lower odds of sarcopenic obesity.

Sarcopenic obesity was also associated with adverse outcomes, including falls, disability, hospitalization, and death, which may have an important impact on quality of life.

Overall, sarcopenic obesity affected around 1 in 10 older adults living in the community and was associated with several demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. The findings highlight the importance of early screening and targeted prevention among older adults at higher risk.

(Reference: Zhang X, Fan Y, Hua L, Zhou Y, Sun Q. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sarcopenic Obesity in the Community Elderly: Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2026 Apr 16;18(8):1267.)