Scientists find sarcopenic obesity is linked to dementia in elderly

According to new research by Juntendo University, scientists linked dementia in elderly people with sarcopenic obesity.The findings of the research were published in the journal 'Clinical Nutrition'.

Obesity, an increasingly prevalent lifestyle disease, often occurs along with poor muscle mass. This condition, called sarcopenic obesity, is evaluated based on the patients' body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength.

Interestingly, sarcopenic obesity is known to increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Dementia, a cognitive condition where memory, thinking and social abilities progressively decline, is known to significantly affect the quality of life in elderly people. Is this condition associated with sarcopenic obesity?

A group of researchers led by Dr Yoshifumi Tamura of Juntendo University, Japan, explored this very question. "If the association between sarcopenic obesity and dementia is established, appropriate preventive measures can be taken to reduce the occurrence of this condition and the risk of dementia in elderly patients," said Dr Tamura, stressing on the importance of their study.

This study was made available online on March 16, 2022, and was published in Volume 41 Issue 5 of the journal on May 01, 2022.

In the study, the researchers recruited 1,615 older Japanese adults aged 65 to 84 years participating in the Bunkyo Health Study. The researchers divided the subjects into four groups based on their sarcopenia and obesity status: those with obesity, those with sarcopenia, those with sarcopenic obesity, and those without obesity or sarcopenia (control).