Association of physical activity with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling older adults: the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Objective: this study examined the association of physical activity with sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity among the community-dwelling Korean elderly. Methods: subjects consisted of 2,264 aged 65 years or older in the 2008–09 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sarcopenia was defined as 2 SD below the mean of the appendicular skeletal muscle/weight for healthy young adults. Obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥90 cm for men and ≥85 cm for women. Levels of physical activity were classified using the metabolic equivalent task method. Results: the prevalence of sarcopenia was 12.1% in men and 11.9% in women. Among those with sarcopenia, obesity was prevalent in 68.3% of men and 65.0% of women. Adjusting for all covariates, compared with those with low physical activity, men who engaged in moderate and high activity were 38% and 74%, respectively, less likely to have sarcopenia (Ptrend < 0.001). In women, the relationship between physical activity and sarcopenia was not significant. For sarcopenic obesity, men participating in moderate [odds ratio (OR) = 0.47; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26–0.87] and high (OR = 0.27; 95% CI: 0.12–0.60) physical activity, compared with low activity, had significantly lower risk (Ptrend = 0.001). In women, high physical activity was associated with a lower risk of sarcopenic obesity (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.22–0.86). Conclusion: physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older Korean adults. There were gender differences in the relationship, with stronger associations observed in men than in women.