2018 Volume 45 Issue 4 Pages 573-578
Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and osteopenia among Japanese elderly women.
Design. Cross-sectional observational study.
Setting. Comprehensive-health checkup center.
Participants. A total of 126 women (mean age 72.5±5.4 years) who underwent comprehensive health checkups and examinations both of whole-body composition and bone mineral density using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were enrolled. Sarcopenia was defined as a height-adjusted skeletal muscle mass <5.4 kg/m2. Obesity was defined as a total-body fat percentage ≥30%. Osteopenia was defined as a percentage of young adult mean <80%.
Main outcome and measures. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for osteopenia associated with SO.
Results. The prevalence of sarcopenia, obesity, and SO were 17%, 36%, and 16%, respectively. More than half of the participants were regarded as having osteopenia. The prevalence of osteopenia was higher in sarcopenia and SO subjects and lower in obese subjects than in standard phenotype. Subjects with osteopenia showed characteristics of sarcopenia, i.e. a lower body mass index, lower skeletal muscle mass, and lower fat mass. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that SO subjects were significantly associated with the prevalence of osteopenia (odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 4.26, 1.10–16.4) after adjustment for age and visceral fat area. The association remained marginal after additive adjustments for smoking, drinking, and physical activity (odds ratio and 95% confidence interval: 3.77, 0.92–15.4).
Conclusions. SO was significantly associated with the prevalence of osteopenia among Japanese elderly women.
