Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity and Osteoarthritis: A Discussion among Muscles, Fat, Bones, and Aging

Life (Basel). 2023 May 24;13(6):1242. doi: 10.3390/life13061242.

Abstract

Aging is a physical procedure for people and nature. Our aging world is expanding because of the life span extension. Aging has a crucial relationship with our body composition (muscles, bones, and adipose tissue), which is characterized by an increase in fat mass and a gradual decrease in muscle mass and strength and bone density. These alterations affect physical performance and impact quality of life enhancing the risk for non-communicable diseases, immobilization, and disability. As far we know, osteoarthritis of lower limbs, sarcopenic obesity, and muscle mass and/or strength loss are treated separately. However, bones, muscles, adipose tissue, and aging appear to have an interconnection through a dialogue as they talk to each other. Health disorders are coming into the surface when this relationship is disrupted. The aim of our study is to search deeper into this interconnection, so that when adipose tissue increases, we have to take a look into the condition of muscle mass, bone, and connective tissue and vice versa, through the assessment of physical performance. Consequently, the triad muscle-bone-adipose tissue disorders by aging should be treated as a single entity.

Keywords: functionality; middle-aged adults; older adults; osteoarthritis; sarcopenia; sarcopenic obesity.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.