Association between sarcopenia with lifestyle and family function among community-dwelling Chinese aged 60 years and older

BACKGROUND Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass and function. The risk factors and causes of sarcopenia must be identified to develop prevention and treatment strategies for this syndrome. Our aim was to examine the association between sarcopenia with lifestyle and family function among community-dwelling Chinese people aged 60 years and older. METHODS We conducted this study to evaluate sarcopenia among 834 community-dwelling Chinese individuals aged ≥60 years using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. The sociodemographic characteristics, food consumption patterns, habits of smoking, and alcohol consumption of the participants were collected using a general questionnaire, whereas physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ; long-form version). Family function was assessed using the Family APGAR scale. In addition, the association of sarcopenia with lifestyle and family function was examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS The total prevalence rate of sarcopenia was 10.6%. Female participants with sarcopenia had a lower frequency per week of nut consumption than those without sarcopenia (p < 0.05), whereas, for male participants, the differences in food consumption patterns of those with sarcopenia versus those without sarcopenia were not significant. Among the participants, the mean Family APGAR score was 8 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.92). For both sexes, participants with sarcopenia had lower family function scores than those without sarcopenia. In the multivariate model, after adjustment for all covariates, frequency per week of nut consumption (adjusted OR 0.724, 95% CI 0.532-0.985, P < 0.05) and Family APGAR score (adjusted OR 0.683, 95% CI 0.496-0.940, P = 0.019) were statistically significantly associated with sarcopenia. The relationship between other lifestyle habits and sarcopenia was not significant. CONCLUSION There was significant association between sarcopenia with intake of nuts and family function. Further studies should evaluate if adequate intake of nuts and a well-functioning family may be effective in lowering the risk of sarcopenia.