Table 1.
Characteristics of the included studies
| Study | Field | Sample Size (by sex) |
Age (Range/Mean) |
Design | Setting | Measurement | Tool | Criteria | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sallfeldt et al., (2023), Sweden [22] | S | M: 1266 | 69–81 | Cohort | Community dwelling | Anthropometry, BC, Muscle strength, Muscle quantity | BMI, DXA, HGS, CST, ASM | EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence: Baseline: 5.6% Follow-up: 12.0% Incidence proportion: 9.1% |
| Sääksjärvi et al. (2023), Finland [23] | S, SO | F: 711 M: 374 | 70–100 | Cross-sectional | Community-dwelling | Anthropometry, muscle strength, probable sarcopenia, mortality, lifestyle parameters | BMI, WC, HGS | EWGSOP2 (HGS only), WHO criteria for obesity (BMI& WC cut-points) |
Probable sarcopenia: 20.4% Probable SO (BMI): 5.8% Probable SO (WC, WHO): 12.6% Probabale SO (WC, alternative): 6.5% Probable SO (BMI or WC, alternative): 7.7% |
| Karlsson et al., (2022), Sweden [24] | S | M:257 | 71 | Longitudinal | Community dwelling | Dietary assessment, Muscle strength, muscle power, Physical performance, Anthropometry, BC | Seven- days by a pre-coded menu book, HGS, CST, Self-chosen comfortable walking speed, DXA | EWGSOP |
Prevalence: Follow-up: 19% High consumption of vegetables, green salad, fruit, poultry, rice& pasta, was associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia. |
| Dolin et al., (2022), Denmark [25] | S |
F:38 M:26 |
65–93 | Cross-sectional | Patients with colorectal cancer in outpatient clinic | Muscle strength, Physical performance, Muscle quantity | HGS, CST, DXA, ALM | EWGSOP2 | Prevalence: 13% |
| Paajanen et al. (2022), Finland [26] | S |
F: 63 M: 417 |
75.6 | Retrospective cohort study | Patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms | Psoas muscle area | CTA | Psoas muscle area values < 8.0 and < 5.5 | Prevalence: 58.5% |
| Sobestiansky et al., (2021), Sweden [27] | S |
F:38 M:18 |
84.1 | Cross-sectional | Inpatients in geriatric care | BC, Muscle strength, Nutritional assessment | DXA, HGS, CST, MNA-SF | EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence: Sarcopenia: 46% Malnutrition: 60–64% |
| Papaioannou et al., (2021), Sweden [28] | S |
F:122 M:69 |
65–70 | Cross- sectional | Community dwelling | Dietary intake, Anthropometry, BC, Muscle strength, PA, | FFQ, weight, height, BIA, HGS, chair rise, accelerometry | EWGSOP2 |
Adherence to a healthy diet has beneficial effects on sarcopenia risk. |
| Wallengren et al., (2021), Sweden [29] | S |
F:593 M:448 |
70 & 85 years old | Cross-sectional | Population Register | BC, Muscle strength, Physical performance | DXA, HGS, gait speed |
EWGSOP1 EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence (age 70) EWGSOP1: 3.1% (F: 1.8%; M: 4.6%) EWGSOP2: 2.8% (F: 2.2%; M: 3.6%) Prevalence (age 85) EWGSOP1: 54% (F: 50; M: 61%) EWGSOP2: 54% (F:54%; M:53%) |
| Scott et al., (2021), Sweden [30] | S |
F:1688 M:1646 |
70 | Cohort | Community dwelling | BC, Muscle strength, Physical performance | DXA, HGS, TUG | EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence: Sarcopenia: 1.0% Probable sarcopenia: 0.8% Higher PA are associated with a decreased likelihood of sarcopenia. |
| Veen et al., (2021), Sweden [31] | S |
F:122 M:71 |
65–70 | Cross-sectional | Community dwelling |
Muscle mass, SRS |
BIA, HGS, 5STS, SMI | EWGSOP | Adherence to MSA is related to lower sarcopenia risk. |
| Mølmen et al., (2021), Norway [32] | S |
F:51 M:43 |
68.0 | RCT, (28 weeks) | Healthy participants and COPD patients | Muscle strength Performance tests, Muscle mass, Muscle quality, BC |
Unilateral maximal strength and muscular performance, DXA |
NP |
The intervention reduced the number of participants that could be defined as sarcopenic from 16–12%. |
| Simonsen et al., (2021), Denmark [33] | S |
F:36 M:95 |
65.9 | Cross-sectional | Participants referred to surgery for gastrointestinal tumors | Lean soft tissue, Skeletal muscle area | DXA, CT scan |
For DXA: EWGSOP2 For CT: Muscle area at the L3 level, normalized to height |
Prevalence: With DXA: 11.5% With CT: 19.1%. |
| Faxén-Irving et al., (2021), Sweden [34] | S |
F:57 M:35 |
86.5 | Cross-sectional | Nursing-home | Nutritional assessment, BC, Muscle strength, Frailty | MNA-SF, BIA, Chair stand test, SARC-F Questionnaire, FRAIL Questionnaire |
EWGSOP2 & GLIM for Malnutrition |
Prevalence: Pre-frail: 51% Probable sarcopenia: 44% Sarcopenic: 29% Malnourished: 17%. All three above conditions: 7% |
| Björkman et al. (2020), Finland [35] | S |
F:148 M:70 |
75–96 | RCT | Community-dwelling adults with sarcopenia | Physical performance, muscle strength, BC | SPPB, HGS, BIS | Low HGS or slow gait speed or low calf skeletal muscle index | No significant differences in physical performance, muscle strength and BC after intervention |
| Jyväkorpi et al. (2020), Finland [36] | S | M: 126 | 87 |
Cross-sectional (Part of Helsinki Businessmen study) |
Community-dwelling | BC, muscle strength, PF, dietary intake, nutritional status | HGS, SPPB, 3-day food records, Mini Nutritional Assessment | EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence: Probable sarcopenia: 38.1% Sarcopenia: 21.4% Inverse association between sarcopenia and total energy, protein, plant protein, fish protein, fiber, total fat and mono- & polyunsaturated fats, and vitamin D |
| Probert et al., (2020), Sweden [37] | S |
n1: F:49 M:29 n2: F:47 M:29 |
81.0 80.0 |
2 Cohorts | Patients with hip fracture at hospital | Malnutrition, Muscle strength, Muscle mass | GLIM-criteria for malnutrition, HGS, Calf Circumference | EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence 2008 : Sarcopenia: 25% Malnutrition: 59% Prevalence 2018: Sarcopenia: 11% Malnutrition: 37% |
| Sjöblom et al., (2020), Finland [38] | S | F : 610 | 66–71 |
Part of RCT OSTPRE-FPS* |
Postmenopausal community-dwelling women | BC, PF, dietary intake | DXA, HGS, Food record (3-days) | EWGSOP | Higher PA and protein intake was associated with greater PF and lower fat mass |
| Berens et al., (2020), Sweden [39] | SO |
n1: F:319 M:202 n2: M:288 |
75.6 87 |
2 Cohorts | Community-dwelling | BC, Muscle strength | DXA, HGS, CST, BIS | EWGSOP2 combined with 3 definitions for obesity | Prevalence: 4–11% SO was associated with higher risk of dying (cohort1). Obesity without sarcopenia was related to better survival (cohort2). |
| Nielsen et al., (2020), Denmark [40] | S |
F: 297 M: 323 |
65–93 | Cross-sectional | Home-dwelling | BC, Muscle strength, PF, BMD | DXA, HGS, CST |
EWGSOP2 & WHO guidlines for Osteoporosis |
Prevalence: Osteosarcopenia 1.5%. Sarcopenia in individuals with osteoporosis: 7–8%. Osteoporosis in individuals with sarcopenia: 61.5%. |
| Van Ancum et al. (2020), Denmark [41] | S |
F: 62 M:33 |
75–85 |
Cross-sectional (Data from the Falls outpatients’ cohort) |
Older adults referred to a geriatric outpatient clinic | Muscle strength, PF, BC | HGS, gait speed, DXA |
EWGSOP EWGSOP2 |
Prevalence: EWGSOP M: 24.2% F: 17.7% EWGSOP2 (HGS&ASM; HGS&ASM/height2): M: 15.2%; 15.2% F: 11.3%; 6.5% |
| Björkman et al., (2019), Finland [42] | S |
F:194 M:68 |
83.0 | Longitudinal | Community-dwelling | Muscle mass, Muscle strength, PF | BIS, HGS, SPPB | NP | Lower limb CRi-SMI is an independent long- term predictor of the PF for sarcopenic people. |
| Björkman et al., (2019), Finland [43] | S |
F:194 M:68 |
75 | Cross-sectional& Longitudinal | Community-dwelling | Muscle mass, Muscle strength, PF | BIS, HGS, SPPB | NP | Muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance are suitable targets for the prevention of sarcopenia-related over-mortality. |
| Olesen et al., (2019), Denmark [44] | S |
F:98 M:84 |
57.4 | Cohort | Pancreatitis outpatients at center for Pancreatic Diseases | BC, Muscle mass, Muscle strength, Muscle function, PF, Quality of life | BIA, HGS, TUG, QLQ-C30 questionnaire | EWGSOP | Prevalence: 17.0%. Sarcopenia was associated with reduced quality of life, PF and increased risk of hospitalization. EPI was an independent risk factor for sarcopenia. |
| Sobestiansky et al., (2019), Sweden [45] | S | M:287 | 85–89 | Longitudinal | Community-dwelling | BC, Muscle strength, Physical performance | DXA, HGS, GS, CST |
EWGSOP EWGSOP2 FNIH |
Prevalence: Probable sarcopenia (EWGSOP2): 73% Sarcopenia: EWGSOP: 21% EWGSOP2: 20% FNIH: 8% Reduced muscle strength was a major determinant of sarcopenia. |
| Vikberg et al. (2019), Sweden [46] | S |
F:54 M:38 |
70.9 | RCT (10 Weekes) | Community-dwelling with pre-sarcopenia | Functional strength, physical function, muscle strength, LBM | SPPB, HGS, DXA | EWGSOP | Significant improvement of SPPB scores in males. LBM increased and FM decreased in the total intervention group. |
| Isanejad et al. (2018), Finland [47] | S | F: 554 | ≥ 65 |
Cross-sectional and longitudinal (Part of RCT OSTPRE-FPS*) |
Community-dwelling postmenopausal women | Muscle strength, PF, BC, Adherence to Mediterranean diet and Baltic Sea Diet | HGS, SPPB, DXA, 3-day food record | EWGSOP |
Prevalence 24.2% Participants with lower adherence to Mediterranean and Baltic Sea Diets lost more total body LM and SMI. |
| Mikkola et al., (2018), Finland [48] | SO |
F: 603 M:473 |
61.2 | Part of cohort HBCS** | Community-dwelling | BC, WC, Physical performance | BIA, Senior fitness test | NP | Body composition measures that reflect adiposity predict physical performance better than measures that reflect lean mass. |
| Ottestad et al., (2018), Norway [49] | S |
F: 218 M:199 |
74 | Cross-sectional | Home-dwelling | Amino acids concentrations in plasma, Protein intake, SM | NMR spectroscopy, 24-h dietary recalls, BIA | EWGSOP |
Prevalence All: 22% F: 32% M:11% People with sarcopenia have a lower absolute intake of protein and lower non-fasting plasma concentrations of leucine and isoleucine compared with non-sarcopenic subjects. |
| Steihaug et al., (2017), Norway [50] | S |
F:152 M:50 |
≥ 65 | Cross-sectional | Patient with hip fracture at hospital | Muscle strength, Total body mass | HGS, Anthropometry (Heymsfield method) | EWGSOP |
Prevalence: 37% Sarcopenia was positively associated with age, polypharmacy, and negatively associated with BMI and albumin. |
| Jacobsen et al., (2016), Norway [51] | S |
F: 76 M:44 |
82.6 | Cross-sectional | Hospital (Acute patients) | Nutritional assessment, PF, Muscle strength | MNA-SF, SPPB, HGS, GS | EWGSOP |
Prevalence: Sarcopenia: 30% Malnutrition or at risk: 75% Sarcopenia is associated with a decline in nutritional status. |
| Jansen et al., (2015), Denmark [52] | S |
F: 9 M:40 |
61.0 | Cross-sectional case control | Diabetic patients with acute or chronic Charcot osteoarthropathy | Fat mass, Muscle strength | DXA, ALM | ALM relative to height squared |
Prevalence: 9.1–40.0% Compared to the reference values, the studied population with diabetes had higher rates of obesity and sarcopenia. |
| Frost et al. (2014), Denmark [53] | S | M: 593 | 60–74 | Observational | Population-based | BC | DXA, LEP | EWGSOP, (By using LEP) |
Prevalence: 4.8% and 8.5% based LEP or LELB T-score, respectively. |
| Patil et al., (2013), Finland [54] | S | F: 409 | 70–80 | Cohort | Community-dwelling | Muscle mass, Muscle strength, Muscle performance, BC | SMI, HGS, GS, DXA |
EWGSOP IWG & WHO guidlines for Osteopenia |
Prevalence: Sarcopenia: EWGSOP: 0.9% IWG: 2.7% Osteopenia: 36% |
S: Sarcopenia; F: Females; M: Males; BC: Body composition; BMI: Body mass index; DXA: Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; HGS: Hand grip strength; CST: Chair stands test; CTA: Computed Tomography Angiogram; ASM: Appendicular skeletal muscle mass; EWGSOP: European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People; EWGSOP2: Revised consensus from the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People; ALM: Appendicular lean mass; NP: Not provided; MNA-SF: Mini nutritional assessment-short form; FFQ: Food frequency questionnaire; PA: Physical activity; SMI: Skeletal muscle mass index; BIA: Bioelectrical impedance analyses; TUG: Timed Up and Go; MSA: Muscle-strengthening activities; 5STS: Five times sit-to-stand time; SRS: Sarcopenia risk score; RCT: Randomized control trial; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; GLIM: Global Leadership of Malnutrition; PF: Physical function; SO: Sarcopenic obesity; BMD: Bone mineral density; BIS: Bioimpedance spectroscopy; SPPB: Short physical performance battery; CRi-SMI: Calf intracellular resistance skeletal muscle index; TUG: Timed up-and-go test; EPI: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; FNIH: National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project; GS: Gait speed; ULSAM: Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men; WC: waist circumference; SM: Skeletal muscle mass; T: Total; LBM: Lean body mass; IWG: International Working Group on Sarcopenia; LEP: leg extension power; LELB: Lower extremity lean mass
* OSTPRE-FPS: Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention – Fracture Prevention Study; **HBCS: Helsinki Birth Cohort Study