Associations of physical activity with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in middle-aged and older adults: the Louisiana osteoporosis study

Abstract

Background: This study examined the associations between physical activity, obesity, and sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 8, 919 study participants aged between 45 to 97 (mean age = 57.2 ± 8.8) from a Southern state in the United States. Self-reported physical activity was classified to regular exercise ≥ 3 times/week, < 3 times/week, and no regular exercise. Associations between physical activity, obesity and sarcopenia were explored with generalized linear models and ordinal logistic regressions stratified by age (middle-aged and older adults) and gender adjusting for covariates.

Results: In middle-aged and older adults, all examined obesity related traits (e.g., body mass index, waist circumference) were inversely associated with physical activity levels (p < 0.01) in both genders. Exercising ≥ 3 times/week was negatively associated with lean mass indicators (e.g., appendicular lean mass) in middle-aged and older females (p < 0.01), while the negative associations become positive after adjusting for weight. Positive associations between physical activity and grip strength were only found in middle-aged males (p < 0.05). Ordinal logistic regression revealed that those exercising ≥ 3 times/week were less likely to have obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenia obesity in all groups (p < 0.01), except for sarcopenia in older males and females (p > 0.05). Positive associations of exercising < 3 times/week with sarcopenia and sarcopenia obesity were only found in middled adults.

Conclusion: The associations of exercise frequency with obesity and sarcopenia vary considerably across gender and age groups. Exercise programs need to be individualized to optimize health benefits. Future research exploring physical activity strategies to balance weight reduction and lean mass maintaining is warranted in middle-aged and especially older adults.

Keywords: Exercise; Obesity; Physical activity; Sarcopenia; Sarcopenic obesity.

Fig. 1

Adjusted means (standard error) of obesity across exercise and age groups. Age in years and race/ethnicity; plus menopause status for females were adjusted. BMI = body mass index. P < 0.001 for all traits

Fig. 2

Adjusted means (standard error) of sarcopenia related traits across exercise and age groups. Age in years and race/ethnicity; plus menopause status for females were adjusted. ASM = appendicular skeletal muscle mass (the added muscle mass of four limbs). SMI = skeletal muscle index. P < 0.001 for all traits

Fig. 3

The distribution of normal body composition, obesity, sarcopenia, and obesity sarcopenia by physical activity, gender and age groups. P < 0.001 for all groups (except p < 0.01 for older male)