Table 1.

Large-scale studies into the prevalence of sarcopenia

Cohort (country)	n (% female)	Age	Sarcopenia definition (assessment method)	Sarcopenia prevalence	Reference
CHS (USA)	5036 (56.4%)	>65 years	Categories of skeletal mass index, defined as muscle mass normalized for height (BIA)	Moderate sarcopenia, m: 70.7%, f: 41.9%; severe sarcopenia, m: 17.1%, f: 10.7%	[35]
EPIDOS (France)	1458 (100%)	All >70 years; mean 80.3 ± 3.8 years	Appendicular skeletal muscle mass <2 SD below the mean of a young female reference group (DEXA)	9.5%	[36]
InCHIANTI (Italy)	1030 (54.5)	Range 20–102	Calf muscle cross sectional area more than 2 SD below population mean (CT scan)	m: 20% at 65 years, 70% at 85 years f: 5% at 65 years, 15% at 85 years	[37]
NHANES III (USA)	14818	>18 years; 30% >60 years	Skeletal mass index was defined as muscle mass/body mass x 100; sarcopenia class I defined as skeletal muscle mass 1–2 SD, sarcopenia class II defined as skeletal muscle mass >2 SD from the mean of young subjects (BIA)	In subjects aged >60 years: sarcopenia class I, m: 45%, f: 59%; sarcopenia class II: m: 7%, f: 10%	[21]
NMEHS (USA)	808 (47.3%)	m: 73.6 ± 5.8 years; f: 73.7 ± 6.1 years	Appendicular skeletal muscle mass <2 SD below the mean of a young reference population (substudy of DEXA)	<70 years, m: 13.5–16.9%, f: 23.1–24.1%; 70–74 years, m: 18.3–19.8%, f: 33.3–35.1%; 75–80 years, m: 26.7–36.4%, f: 35.3–35.9%; >80 years, m: 52.6–57.6%, f: 43.2–60.0%	[19]

BIA bioelectrical impedance assessment, CHS Cardiovascular Health Study, CT computed tomography, DEXA dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, EPIDOS European Patient Information and Documentation Systems, NHANES National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NMEHS New Mexico Elder Health Study, SD standard deviation