Abstract
Introduction
Sarcopenia is an aging-related health problem in the geriatric population. Sarcopenia
reduces muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Although physical
activity is protective against sarcopenia for older adults, there are limited studies
in this area. The purpose of this study was to integrate and analyze research on physical
activity and sarcopenia in the geriatric population.
Methods
Studies that assess sarcopenia were searched across electronic databases that included
Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Studies that
implemented physical activity-related intervention or research were included. A critical
appraisal skills program was used for quality assessment of the selected articles.
Study selection and data extraction were counted by 2 independent reviewers.
Results
Of the 149 references identified through the database search, 10 studies were included
in this systematic review. Seven studies were randomized controlled trials, and 3
were cross-sectional or longitudinal. The results of 8 studies indicated significant
improvement in muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance through exercise
intervention, as determined by long-term observation.
Conclusions
Physical activity is an effective protective strategy for sarcopenia. Most studies
of older adults exercise intervention indicated that the participants achieved positive
results, but maintenance of muscle strength appeared to depend on continuous implementation
of certain types of physical activities. A limitation of these 10 reviewed studies
was that there was no consistency in the measurement of sarcopenia. Therefore, sarcopenia
measurement needs further investigation.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Summary comments.Am J Clin Nutr. 1989; 50: 1231-1233
- Sarcopenia: The new definitions.Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2015; 18: 1-4
- Tools in the assessment of sarcopenia.Calcif Tissue Int. 2013; 93: 201-210
- Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: Report of the European Working Group on sarcopenia in older people.Age Aging. 2010; 39: 412-423
- Development of a simple screening test for sarcopenia in older adults.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2014; 14: 93-101
- Age-dependent changes in skeletal muscle mass and visceral fat area in Japanese adults from 40 to 79 years of age.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2014; 14: 8-14
- Hospitalizations during a physical activity intervention in older adults at risk of mobility disability: Analyses from the lifestyle interventions and independence for elders randomized clinical trial.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016; 64: 933-943
- Role of exercise on sarcopenia in the elderly.Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2013; 49: 131-143
- Association between sarcopenia and mortality in healthy older people.Australas J Ageing. 2011; 30: 89-92
- Epidemiology of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan: A pooled analysis for a broader adoption of sarcopenia assessments.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2014; 14: 52-60
- Relationship between physical functioning and physical activity in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot Study.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010; 58: 1918-1924
- Physical activity.(Available at:)
- Sarcopenia, cardiopulmonary fitness, and physical disability in community-dwelling elderly people.Phys Ther. 2010; 90: 1277-1287
- Screen-based sedentary behavior, physical activity, and muscle strength in the English longitudinal study of aging.PLoS One. 2013; 8: e66222
- Exercise frequency, health risk factors, and diseases of the elderly.Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2013; 94: 2046-2053
- The impact of sarcopenia on a physical activity intervention: The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot Study (LIFE-P).J Nutr Health Aging. 2014; 18: 59-64
- Effect of a 24-month physical activity intervention versus health education on cognitive outcomes in sedentary older adults: The LIFE tandomized trial.JAMA. 2015; 314: 781-790
- Effect of a simple and adherent home exercise program on the physical function of community dwelling adults 60 years of age and older with pre-sarcopenia or sarcopenia.J Phys Ther Sci. 2016; 28: 3183-3188
- The effect of intervening hospitalizations on the benefit of structured physical activity in promoting independent mobility among community-living older persons: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.BMC Med. 2017; 15: 65
- Integrated care for geriatric frailty and sarcopenia: A randomized control trial.J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2017; 8: 78-88
- Association of sarcopenia with functional decline in community-dwelling elderly subjects in Japan.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2013; 13: 958-963
- Sarcopenia: Prevalence and associated factors based on different suggested definitions in community-dwelling older adults.Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2016; 16: 110-122
- Frequency of sarcopenia and associated factors among hospitalized elderly patients.BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015; 16: 108
- Sarcopenia prevalence and associated factors in an elderly Taiwanese metropolitan population.J Am Geriatr Soc. 2013; 61: 459-462
- Socioeconomic status and body mass index in Canada: Exploring measures and mechanisms.Can Rev Sociol. 2010; 47: 381-403
- Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation and improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness: Implications regarding patient benefit.Mayo Clin Proc. 2013; 88: 431-437
- Associations between sedentary behaviour and body composition, muscle function, and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.Osteoporosis Int. 2015; 26: 571-579
- Essential amino acid and carbohydrate supplementation ameliorates muscle protein loss in humans during 28 days bedrest.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004; 89: 4351-4358
- American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and physical activity for older adults.Med Sci Sport Exerc. 2009; 41: 1510-1530
- Frailty and sarcopenia: Definitions and outcome parameters.Osteoporosis Int. 2012; 23: 1839-1848
Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 26, 2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
