The Impact of the Physical Activity Level on Sarcopenic Obesity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Previous studies have reported that low levels of physical activity result in sarcopenic obesity (SO). However, the effects of specific intensities of physical activity on SO and the optimal amount of physical activity for lowering the prevalence of SO have not been well studied. This study aimed to identify the effects of physical activity levels and intensity on SO and the optimal amount of physical activity related to a lower prevalence of SO. This cross-sectional study used data from the nationwide Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS), which included 2071 older adults (1030 men, 1041 women). SO was defined according to the criteria of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition Metabolism (ESPEN) and the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between the physical activity level and SO. The high activity group had a significantly lower prevalence of SO than the non-high activity (low and moderate activity) group. On the other hand, moderate-intensity physical activity was associated with a lower prevalence of SO. A total physical activity energy expenditure of > 3032 kcal/week (433 kcal/day) for men and 2730 kcal/week (390 kcal/day) for women was associated with a reduced prevalence of SO. The high physical activity and total physical energy expenditure described above may be beneficial for reducing the prevalence of SO.