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Associations of low muscle mass and the metabolic syndrome in Caucasian and Asian middle-aged and older adults

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

Age-related declines in skeletal muscle mass may confer significant metabolic consequences for older adults. Associations of low muscle mass and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Caucasians, and comparisons with associations observed in Asian populations, have not been reported. We examined associations of low muscle mass and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Asian and Caucasian middle-aged and older men and women using criteria for low muscle mass.

Design, Setting and Participants

Two population-based studies of Australian (Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study; TASOAC; N=1005) and Korean (Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study; KSOS; N=376) community-dwelling adults, mean age 62 and 58 years, respectively.

Measurements

Appendicular lean mass (aLM) determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and normalised to height squared (aLM/Ht2), weight (aLM/Wt) or body mass index (aLM/BMI). Participants in the lowest sex-specific 20% for aLM measures were defined as having low muscle mass. MetS was defined according to National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria.

Results

Although Australians demonstrated generally unfavourable anthropometric and metabolic characteristics compared to Koreans, prevalence of MetS was similar (29.5% in Australians and 31.4% in Koreans, respectively). Low aLM/Ht2 was associated with significantly reduced likelihood of MetS in both Australians (OR: 0.30, 95% CI 0.19 - 0.46) and Koreans (OR: 0.31, 95% CI 0.16 – 0.62). Conversely, low aLM/BMI was associated with increased odds for MetS in Australians (OR: 1.78, 95% CI 1.12–2.84), but not Koreans (OR: 1.33, 95% CI = 0.67–2.64).

Conclusion

Low aLM/BMI is associated with significantly increased likelihood of MetS in Australian adults, but not Koreans, suggesting potential differences in effects of low muscle mass relative to body mass on cardiometabolic health in Caucasian and Asian middle-aged and older adults. Low muscle mass relative to height is associated with reduced likelihood of MetS in both populations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia

    D. Scott

  2. Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, St Albans, Australia

    D. Scott

  3. Department of Statistics, College of Natural Sciences, Sungshin Women’s University, Seoul, Korea

    M. S. Park

  4. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, 80 Guro-Dong, Guro-Gu, Seoul, 152-050, Korea

    T. N. Kim, J. Y. Ryu, H. C. Hong, H. J. Yoo, S. H. Baik & Kyung Mook Choi

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, Korea

    T. N. Kim

  6. Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia

    G. Jones

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  1. D. Scott
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Correspondence to Kyung Mook Choi.

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Scott, D., Park, M.S., Kim, T.N. et al. Associations of low muscle mass and the metabolic syndrome in Caucasian and Asian middle-aged and older adults. J Nutr Health Aging 20, 248–255 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0559-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0559-z

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