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Establishing an Operational Definition of Sarcopenia in Australia and New Zealand: Delphi Method Based Consensus Statement

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Background

Globally there are several operational definitions for sarcopenia, complicating clinical and research applications.

Objective

The objective of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research (ANZSSFR) Task Force on Diagnostic Criteria for Sarcopenia was to reach consensus on the operational definition of sarcopenia for regional use by clinicians and researchers.

Method

A four-Phase modified Delphi process was undertaken in which 24 individuals with expertise or a recognised interest in sarcopenia from different fields across Australia and New Zealand were invited to be Task Force members. An initial face-to-face meeting was held in Adelaide, South Australia, in November 2017, followed by two subsequent online Phases conducted by electronic surveys. A final Phase was used to approve the final statements. Responses were analysed using a pre-specified strategy. The level of agreement required for consensus was 80%.

Results

In Phase 2, 94.1% of Task Force respondents voted in favour of adopting an existing operational definition of sarcopenia. In Phase 3, 94.4% of respondents voted in favour of adopting the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) definition as the operational definition for sarcopenia in Australia and New Zealand.

Conclusion

With consensus achieved, the ANZSSFR will adopt, promote and validate the EWGSOP operational definition of sarcopenia for use by clinicians and researchers in Australia and New Zealand.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), The University of Melbourne and Western Health, St. Albans, Victoria, Australia

    J. Zanker, D. Scott, S. L. Brennan-Olsen, A. Hayes, S. Phu & Gustavo Duque

  2. Department of Medicine - Western Health, The University of Melbourne, St. Albans, Victoria, Australia

    J. Zanker, D. Scott, S. L. Brennan-Olsen, A. Hayes, J. A. Pasco, S. Phu, K. M. Sanders & Gustavo Duque

  3. Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia

    D. Scott

  4. Department of Medicine and Aged Care, @AgeMelbourne, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    E. M. Reijnierse & A. B. Maier

  5. Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    R. M. Daly

  6. Departments of Endocrinology, Royal North Shore and Westmead Hospitals, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    C. M. Girgis

  7. Department of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology, The University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    M. Grossmann & S. Iuliano

  8. Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Footscray, Victoria, Australia

    A. Hayes

  9. Southern Cross Care South Australia and Northern Territory, Parkside, South Australia, Australia

    T. Henwood

  10. Human Movement and Nutritional Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    T. Henwood

  11. Nutrition and Dietetics Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    V. Hirani

  12. Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, University of Sydney and Ageing, Ageing and Alzheimer’s Institute, Ageing and Alzheimer’s Institute, Concord Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    V. Hirani

  13. The ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    V. Hirani

  14. North Metropolitan Health Service & University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    C. A. Inderjeeth

  15. Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia

    J. W. L. Keogh

  16. Human Potential Centre, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand

    J. W. L. Keogh

  17. Cluster for Health Improvement, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia

    J. W. L. Keogh

  18. School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

    J. R. Lewis & M. Sim

  19. School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    J. R. Lewis

  20. Department of Human Movement Sciences, @AgeAmsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    A. B. Maier

  21. Epi-Centre for Healthy Ageing, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

    J. A. Pasco

  22. Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    J. A. Pasco

  23. Aged & Extended Care Services, Medical Directorate, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    R. Visvanathan & S. C. Y. Yu

  24. National Health and Medical Council Centre of Research Excellence Trans-Disciplinary Frailty Research To Achieve Health Aging and the Adelaide Geriatrics Training and Research with Aged Care (GTRAC) Centre, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    R. Visvanathan & S. C. Y. Yu

  25. University of Otago, Department of Medicine and School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin, New Zealand

    D. L. Waters

  26. Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science (AIMSS), 176 Furlong Road, St. Albans, VIC, 3021, Australia

    Gustavo Duque

Authors
  1. J. Zanker
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  2. D. Scott
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  3. E. M. Reijnierse
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  4. S. L. Brennan-Olsen
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  5. R. M. Daly
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  6. C. M. Girgis
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  7. M. Grossmann
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  8. A. Hayes
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  9. T. Henwood
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  10. V. Hirani
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  11. C. A. Inderjeeth
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  12. S. Iuliano
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  13. J. W. L. Keogh
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  14. J. R. Lewis
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  15. A. B. Maier
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  16. J. A. Pasco
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  17. S. Phu
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  18. K. M. Sanders
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  19. M. Sim
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  20. R. Visvanathan
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  21. D. L. Waters
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  22. S. C. Y. Yu
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  23. Gustavo Duque
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Consortia

Australian and New Zealand Society for Sarcopenia and Frailty Research Task Force on Diagnostic Criteria for Sarcopenia

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gustavo Duque.

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Zanker, J., Scott, D., Reijnierse, E.M. et al. Establishing an Operational Definition of Sarcopenia in Australia and New Zealand: Delphi Method Based Consensus Statement. J Nutr Health Aging 23, 105–110 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-018-1113-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-018-1113-6

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