Abstract
Objectives
Sarcopenia is a condition associated with progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function resulting in substantial negative health outcomes and disability in older adults. It is thus important that sarcopenia-related risk factors be explored. The present study was based upon the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS2019) criteria to assess whether vitamin D levels are a risk factor associated with sarcopenia in various ethnic groups in western China.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Setting
Communities in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Xinjiang provinces.
Participants
We included 4236 individuals that were 50 years of age or older from the West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT) study.
Measurements
An InBody 770 instrument was used for bioimpedance-based analyses of muscle mass, while a digital grip strength dynamometer was used for handgrip strength-based measurements of muscle strength. Physical performance was assessed based upon gait speed over 4 m. Other secondary variables were additionally analyzed as potentially relevant risk factors.
Results
Sarcopenia affected an estimated 22.45% of studied individuals who were 50 years of age or older, with respective prevalence rates in the < 60, 60–64, 65–79, and ≥80 age groups of 11.78%, 19.44%, 32.65%, and 67.97%. Rates in males and females were 26.66% and 20.05%, respectively. In males, a significant difference in vitamin D levels was detected when comparing individuals with and without sarcopenia, although no such relationship was detected in females. Following adjustment for confounding variables, binary logistic regression analyses revealed that inadequate vitamin D was able to independently predict sarcopenia risk only in males (OR=1.875,95%CI: 1.109–3.169, P=0.019).
Conclusions
Among middle-aged and older adults of multiple ethnicities in western China, we found that inadequate vitamin D was an independent predictor of sarcopenia risk specifically in males.
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Acknowledgements
We thank all personnel for their contribution in the WCHAT study.
Funding
Funding: This work was supported by National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics (Z2018B09), 1.3.5 project for disciplines of excellence, West China Hospital, Sichuan University (ZY2017201) the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20826041D4046), Post-doc Epidemic Prevention and Control Program (0040204153349), West China Hospital Post-doc Program (2020HXBH011), 2020 ZigongCity Key Technology Support Plan (Project No. 2020YLSF19), Chengdu Science and Technology Bureau Major Science and Technology Application Demonstration Project (2019YF0900083SN), Department of Aging and Health, National Health Commission PRC(ZX2019023) and Grant No. 2018YFC2002400 from the National Key R&D Program of China. Postdoctoral Fund of West China Hospital (No. 2019HXBH054).
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Conflicts of interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Ethical statements: The current research was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University with the committee’s reference number 2017(445) and the registration number is ChiCTR 1800018895.Before investigation, informed consent was signed and obtained by each participant.
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Luo, S., Chen, X., Hou, L. et al. The Relationship between Sarcopenia and Vitamin D Levels in Adults of Different Ethnicities: Findings from the West China Health and Aging Trend Study. J Nutr Health Aging 25, 909–913 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1645-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1645-z