Sains Malaysiana 42(9)(2013): 1345–1355

Sarcopenia and Its Impact on Health: Do They Have Significant Associations?

(Sarkopenia dan Kesannya ke Atas Kesihatan: Adakah Terdapat Sebarang Hubung Kait?)

S.K. Norshafarina¹, M.S. Noor Ibrahim²*, S. Suzana³, A. Mohamad Hasnan³, M. Zahara³ & Y. Zaitun⁴

¹Biomedical Sciences Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

²Occupational Therapy Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

³Dietetics Programme, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

⁴Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia

43400 Serdang, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

Received: 10 November 2011/Accepted: 21 May 2013

ABSTRACT

A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Sarcopenia and its association with health profiles and oxidative stress among multiethnic older adults in an urban area of Malaysia. Sarcopenia was assessed using Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and the associations between demography, socioeconomic status, lifestyle practices, health risk factors and blood profile were examined on 388 apparently healthy subjects aged 60 years and above. Prevalence of sarcopenia was 89.0% in men and 40.3% in women with the overall prevalence of 59.8%. It was found that prevalence of severe sarcopenia was 13.9% and sarcopenia obese was 23.5%. Binary logistic regression showed that there was no predictor found in men or women. However, a decline in muscle mass was observed in sarcopenic as compared with normal subjects. Sarcopenia is prevalent and there is a need to implement interventional strategies to prevent sarcopenia and its associated comorbidities.

Keywords: Elderly people; Malaysia; muscle mass; oxidative stress; sarcopenia

ABSTRAK

Satu kajian keratan lintang telah dijalankan bagi menentukan prevalens sarkopenia dan hubungannya dengan profil kesihatan dan tekanan oksidatif dalam kalangan warga tua multietnik di sebuah kawasan bandar di Malaysia. Sarkopenia dinilai menggunakan analisis bioimpedans (BIA) dan hubungannya dengan demografi, status sosioekonomi, amalan gaya hidup, faktor risiko kesihatan dan profil darah telah ditentukan dalam kalangan 388 subjek berusia 60 tahun dan ke atas yang kelihatan sihat. Prevalens sarkopenia adalah 89.0% dalam kalangan lelaki dan 40.3% dalam kalangan wanita, dengan prevalens keseluruhan adalah 59.8%. Didapati bahawa prevalens sarkopenia teruk adalah 13.9% dan sarkopenia obes adalah 23.5%. Analisis regresi logistik binari menunjukkan tiada prediktor yang dijumpai bagi lelaki atau wanita. Walau bagaimanapun, penurunan jisim otot berlaku dalam kalangan subjek sarkopenia berbanding subjek normal. Sarkopenia adalah prevalens dan terdapat keperluan bagi implementasi strategi pencelahan bagi mencegah sarkopenia dan komorbiditi berkaitannya.

Kata kunci: Jisim otot; Malaysia; sarkopenia; tekanan oksidatif; warga tua

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*Corresponding author; email: drn00r@yahoo.com