Muscle-to-fat ratio identifies functional impairments and cardiometabolic risk and predicts outcomes: biomarkers of sarcopenic obesity
Journal
Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle
Journal Volume
13
Journal Issue
1
Pages
368-376
Date Issued
2022
Author(s)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity aims to capture the risk of functional decline and cardiometabolic diseases, but its operational definition and associated clinical outcomes remain unclear. Using data from the Longitudinal Aging Study of Taipei, this study explored the roles of the muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR) with different definitions and its associations with clinical characteristics, functional performance, cardiometabolic risk and outcomes. METHODS: (1) Appendicular muscle mass divided by total body fat mass (aMFR), (2) total body muscle mass divided by total body fat mass (tMFR) and (3) relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass (RASM) were measured. Each measurement was categorized by the sex-specific lowest quintiles for all study participants. Clinical outcomes included all-cause mortality and fracture. RESULTS: , P < 0.001), and cardiometabolic risk (fasting glucose: 104.8 ± 27.6 vs. 96.9 ± 18.7 mg/dL, P < 0.001; HbA1c: 6.1 ± 0.9 vs. 5.8 ± 0.6%, P < 0.001; triglyceride: 121.4 ± 55.5 vs. 108.8 ± 67.8 mg/dL, P < 0.001; HDL-C: 56.4 ± 14.9 vs. 59.7 ± 15.9 mg/dL, P = 0.021); and had worse functional performance (MoCA: 25.6 ± 4.2 vs. 26.5 ± 3.0, P = 0.056; handgrip strength: 24.6 ± 6.7 vs. 26.2 ± 7.9 kg, P = 0.017; gait speed: 1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 1.9 ± 0.6 m/s, P < 0.001). Low tMFR was associated with body fat percentage (β = 0.766, P < 0.001), RASM (β = 0.476, P < 0.001) and Mini-Nutritional Assessment (β = -0.119, P < 0.001). Gait speed, MoCA score, fasting glucose, HbA1c and tMFR were significantly associated with adverse outcomes, and the effects of aMFR were marginal (P = 0.074). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults identified with low MFR had unfavourable body composition, poor functional performance, high cardiometabolic risk and a high risk for the clinical outcome.
Type
journal article