Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Associations of Pain and Sarcopenia with Successful Aging among Older People in China: Evidence from CHARLS

  • Original Research
  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Sarcopenia and chronic pain are geriatric syndromes that negatively impact the lives of older people. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship among sarcopenia, pain, and successful aging among older persons participating in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

Design

Cohort study with a 2-year follow-up.

Setting and Participants|Data were derived from 2 waves of the CHARLS, and 4280 community-dwelling participants aged ≥ 60 years were included in the study

Methods

Sarcopenia status was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS 2019) criteria. Successful aging was defined following Rowe and Kahn’s multidimensional model. Pain was assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to examine the associations.

Results

Longitudinal results demonstrated that compared with no sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia [OR (95%CI): 0.600 (0.304~1.188)] was not significantly associated with successful aging. Pain only was strongly associated with successful aging [0.388 (0.251~0.600)], whereas the association between sarcopenia only and successful aging was weaker [0.509 (0.287~0.905)]. The likelihood of being successful aging was substantially lower in the presence of coexisting sarcopenia and pain [0.268 (0.108~0.759)].

Conclusions

Both pain and sarcopenia are significant predictors for achieving successful aging among community-dwelling older adults. Early identification of sarcopenia and pain permits the implementation of treatment strategies and presents an opportunity to mitigate the risk of being unsuccessful aging.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. WHO. Ageing and health. 2021. https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health. Accessed 16, Aug 2022.

  2. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Interpretation of the bulletin of the Seventh National Census. 2021. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/sjjd/202105/t20210512_1817336.html. Accessed 16, Aug 2022.

  3. WHO. World health statistics 2022. https://www.who.int/data/gho/publications/world-health-statistics. Accessed 16, Aug 2022.

  4. Dillaway, H.E. and Byrnes, M. Reconsidering successful aging: A call for renewed and expanded academic critiques and conceptualizations. Journal of applied gerontology, 2009. 28(6): p. 702–722. https://doi.org/10.1177/0733464809333882

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Rowe, J.W. and Kahn, R.L. Human aging: usual and successful. Science, 1987. 237(4811): p. 143–149. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3299702

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Muhammad, T., Srivastava, S., Hossain, B., et al. Decomposing rural–urban differences in successful aging among older Indian adults. Scientific Reports, 2022. 12(1): p. 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-09958-4

    Google Scholar 

  7. Kendig, H., Browning, C.J., Thomas, S.A., et al. Health, lifestyle, and gender influences on aging well: an Australian longitudinal analysis to guide health promotion. Frontiers in public health, 2014. 2: p. 70. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2014.00070

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Meng, X. and D’arcy, C. Successful aging in Canada: prevalence and predictors from a population-based sample of older adults. Gerontology, 2014. 60(1): p. 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1159/000354538

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Xin, C., Zhang, B., Fang, S., et al. Daytime napping and successful aging among older adults in China: a cross-sectional study. BMC geriatrics, 2020. 20(1): p. 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1408-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Xin, C., Sun, X., Lu, L., et al. Prevalence of sarcopenia in older Chinese adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open, 2021. 11(8): p. e041879. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041879

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Kitamura, A., Seino, S., Abe, T., et al. Sarcopenia: prevalence, associated factors, and the risk of mortality and disability in Japanese older adults. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2021. 12(1): p. 30–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12651

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Chen, L.K., Woo, J., Assantachai, P., et al. Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 consensus update on sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2020. 21(3): p. 300–307.e2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2019.12.012

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dodds, R.M., Granic, A., Robinson, S.M., et al. Sarcopenia, long-term conditions, and multimorbidity: findings from UK Biobank participants. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2020. 11(1): p. 62–68. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12503

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Xu, J., Wan, C.S., Ktoris, K., et al. Sarcopenia is associated with mortality in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Gerontology, 2021: p. 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1159/000517099

  15. Yang, M., Shen, Y., Tan, L., et al. Prognostic Value of Sarcopenia in Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Chest, 2019. 156(1): p. 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2019.04.115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Miyamoto, Y., Baba, Y., Sakamoto, Y., et al. Sarcopenia is a negative prognostic factor after curative resection of colorectal cancer. Annals of surgical oncology, 2015. 22(8): p. 2663–2668. https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-4281-6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Li, Z., Tong, X., Ma, Y., et al. Prevalence of depression in patients with sarcopenia and correlation between the two diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle, 2022. 13(1): p. 128–144. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12908

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Hu, Y., Peng, W., Ren, R., et al. Sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment among elderly adults: The first longitudinal evidence from CHARLS. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 2022. 13(6): p. 2944–2952. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.13081

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Janssen, I. Influence of Sarcopenia on the Development of Physical Disability: The Cardiovascular Health Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2006. 54(1): p. 56–62. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00540.x

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Cesari, M., Rolland, Y., Abellan Van Kan, G., et al. Sarcopenia-related parameters and incident disability in older persons: results from the “invecchiare in Chianti” study. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2015. 70(4): p. 457–463. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glu181

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Crowe, M., Jordan, J., Gillon, D., et al. The prevalence of pain and its relationship to falls, fatigue, and depression in a cohort of older people living in the community. Journal of advanced nursing, 2017. 73(11): p. 2642–2651. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13328

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Dahlhamer, J., Lucas, J., Zelaya, Carla, et al. Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 2018. 67(36): p. 1001–1006. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6736a2

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Si, R.H., Wang, C., Jin, R.Y., et al. Prevalence, Factors, and Health Impacts of Chronic Pain Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in China — ScienceDirect. Pain Management Nursing, 2019. 20(4): p. 365–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmn.2019.01.006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Diane, S., Ross, W., Olalekan, U., et al. Chronic Pain and Mortality: A Systematic Review. Plos One, 2014. 9(6): p. e99048. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0099048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Kovacs, F.M., Abraira, V., Zamora, J., et al. Correlation between pain, disability, and quality of life in patients with common low back pain. Spine, 2004. 29(2): p. 206–10. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.BRS.0000107235.47465.08

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Dsa, B., Fbcd, E., Vn, D., et al. Prospective associations of chronic and intrusive pain with sarcopenia and physical disability amongst older Australian men: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project. Experimental Gerontology, 2021. 153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2021.111501

  27. Wade, K.F., Marshall, A., Vanhoutte, B., et al. Does pain predict frailty in older men and women? Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 2017. 72(3): p. 403–409. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glw226

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sakai, Y., Matsui, H., Ito, S., et al. Sarcopenia in elderly patients with chronic low back pain. Osteoporosis & Sarcopenia, 2017. 32(1): p. 13–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afos.2017.09.001

    Google Scholar 

  29. Maruya, K., Fujita, H., Arai, T., et al. Sarcopenia and lower limb pain are additively related to motor function and a history of falls and fracture in community-dwelling elderly people. Osteoporosis and Sarcopenia, 2019. 5(1): p. 23–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afos.2019.03.002

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Mk, A. and Won, B.W., Sarcopenia in Korean Community-Dwelling Adults Aged 70Years and Older: Application of Screening and Diagnostic Tools From the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 Update — ScienceDirect. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2020. 21(6): p. 752–758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2020.03.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Zhao, Y., Hu, Y., Smith, J.P., et al. Cohort profile: the China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS). International journal of epidemiology, 2014. 43(1): p. 61–68. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dys203

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Xu, W., Wang, M., Jiang, C.-M., et al. Anthropometric equation for estimation of appendicular skeletal muscle mass in Chinese adults. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 2011. 20(4): p. 551–556. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/ielapa.688409051529343

    Google Scholar 

  33. Furushima, T., Miyachi, M., Iemitsu, M., et al. Development of prediction equations for estimating appendicular skeletal muscle mass in Japanese men and women. Journal of physiological anthropology, 2017. 36(1): p. 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101017-0150-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Alexandre, T.d.S., Duarte, Y., Santos, J., et al. Sarcopenia according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) versus dynapenia as a risk factor for mortality in the elderly. The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 2014. 18(8): p. 751–756. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-014-0540-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Wu, X., Li, X., Xu, M., et al. Sarcopenia prevalence and associated factors among older Chinese population: Findings from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. PLoS One, 2021. 16(3): p. e0247617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0247617

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Rowe, J.W. and Kahn, R.L. Successful aging. The gerontologist, 1997. 37(4): p. 433–440. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/37.4.433

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Pan, C.W., Cong, X.L., Zhou, H.J., et al. Evaluating health-related quality of life impact of chronic conditions among older adults from a rural town in Suzhou, China. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 2018. 76: p. 6–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2018.01.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Gao, K., Cao, L.F., Ma, W.Z., et al. Association between sarcopenia and cardiovascular disease among middle-aged and older adults: Findings from the China health and retirement longitudinal study. EClinicalMedicine, 2022. 44: p. 101264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101264.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Wu, Y., Wang, W., Liu, T., et al. Association of grip strength with risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer in community-dwelling populations: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2017. 18(6): p. 551.e17–55.e35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2017.03.011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Gu, Y., Li, X., Zhang, Q., et al. Grip strength and depressive symptoms in a large-scale adult population: the TCLSIH cohort study. Journal of affective disorders, 2021. 279: p. 222–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.023

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Liu, Y., Cao, X., Gu, N., et al. A prospective study on the association between grip strength and cognitive function among middle-aged and elderly Chinese participants. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2019. 11: p. 250. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00250

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Gao, K., Ma, W.Z., Huck, S., et al. Association Between Sarcopenia and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Older Adults: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Front Med (Lausanne), 2021. 8: p. 755705. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.755705

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Giesecke, T., Gracely, R.H., Williams, D.A., et al. The relationship between depression, clinical pain, and experimental pain in a chronic pain cohort. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2005. 52(5): p. ):1577–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/art.21008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Levasseur, M., Gauvin, L., Richard, L., et al. Associations Between Perceived Proximity to Neighborhood Resources, Disability, and Social Participation Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Results From the VoisiNuAge Study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2011. 92(12): p. 1979–1986. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2011.06.035

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Ostir, G.V., Ottenbacher, K.J., Fried, L.P., et al. The effect of depressive symptoms on the association between functional status and social participation. Social indicators research, 2007. 80(2): p. 379–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-005-6189-9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Lin, T., Dai, M., Xu, P., et al. Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Pain Patients and Correlation Between the Two Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2022. 23(5): p. 902.e1–902.e20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2022.02.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Liu, H., Byles, J.E., Xu, X., et al. Association between nighttime sleep and successful aging among older Chinese people. Sleep Medicine, 2016. 22: p. 18–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2016.04.016

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

Funding statement: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82003448).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

    Xinhong Zhu, X. Zhang, L. Ding, Y. Tang, F. Yang, G. Qiao & X. Gao

  2. Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

    A. Xu & J. Zhou

  3. Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese, Wuhan, China

    A. Xu & J. Zhou

  4. Department of Tuina and Rehabilitation Medicine, Hubei Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China

    A. Xu & J. Zhou

Authors
  1. Xinhong Zhu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. X. Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Y. Tang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. F. Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. G. Qiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. X. Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. J. Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xinhong Zhu.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest: None.

Ethic consideration: The CHARLS study has gotten the approval for interviewing respondents and collecting data by the Biomedical Ethics Review Committee of Peking University (IRB00001052–11015), and the informed consent was required to sign by the respondents.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhu, X., Zhang, X., Ding, L. et al. Associations of Pain and Sarcopenia with Successful Aging among Older People in China: Evidence from CHARLS. J Nutr Health Aging 27, 196–201 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1892-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1892-2

Key words

Search

Navigation