Background: Sarcopenia pre-dating bariatric surgery (BS) has been suggested as concern for the use of BS in older-adults with morbid obesity.
Objective: To evaluate the impact of age on the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity (SO) in BS-candidates.
Methods: Cross-sectional study including 1370 consecutive BS-candidates aged ≥18, and grouped according to age: 18-39 (reference group), 40-49, 50-59 and ≥ 60 years. From body composition analysis data obtained using bioelectrical impedance, skeletal muscle mass (SMM), SMM index (SMMI=SMM/height2), and percentage of SMM (%SMM = SMM/BW*100) were calculated. Class I or class II SO was adjudicated, respectively, when a value between > - 1 and - 2, or > -2 standard deviations from the regression line from the gender-specific distribution of the relationship between BMI and SMMI or the %SMM in the reference group was encountered.
Results: According to the SMMI distribution, prevalence of class I and class II SO in the whole cohort was respectively 16.4% and 4.6%. SO was more prevalent in females (p < 0.005). Proportion of subjects with SO positively correlated with older age category in females (Tau-c = 0.149, p < 0.001) but not in males. In females aged ≥60, class I SO was present in 29.1%, and class II in 12.8%. Similar results were obtained when %SMM was used (Cohen's k-coefficient = 0.886, p < 0.001). Age and female gender were identified as independent preditors of SO, whereas CRP or the presence of obesity-associated comorbidities were not.
Conclusion: Age is a risk factor for SO in BS-candidates. SO is fairly common in female subjects aged >60 years that are candidates to BS.
Keywords: Aging; Bariatric surgery; Elderly; Obesity; Sarcopenia.