A Systematic Review of Digital Health for Non-older Adults with Risk of Sarcopenia

Abstract

Objectives: Non-older adults are at risk of developing sarcopenia, and exercise and increased physical activity are effective preventive interventions. Digital interventions, including gamification, may enhance the effects of exercise interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of digital health interventions on muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical function in non-older adults at risk of sarcopenia.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of digital health interventions on outcomes related to sarcopenia. Literature searches were performed in MEDLINE (Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection, and CENTRAL databases. Risk of bias was assessed according to established guidelines, and meta-analyses were conducted. The certainty of evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.

Results: In total, 28 studies were analyzed. The pooled results indicated that digital health interventions led to improvements in grip strength, performance in the chair-stand test, walking speed, Dynamic Gait Index, and Timed Up-and-Go test. In contrast, lower limb muscle strength and lean body mass did not show meaningful improvements. Although no major risks of bias were identified, the strength of the evidence remained limited because of the small number of studies and participants included.

Conclusions: This systematic review suggests that digital health interventions may lead to modest improvements in muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical function in non-older adults at risk of sarcopenia, although the current evidence remains inconclusive. Further studies are needed to establish their effect.