Sarcopenia Assessment and Nutritional Interventions in Older Adults
Summary
Sarcopenia, defined as the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with advancing age, poses a significant threat to independence and quality of life in older adults. Assessment typically combines measurement of muscle quantity—using techniques such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography—with evaluation of functional capacity, including hand-grip dynamometry, gait speed and physical performance batteries. Emerging emphasis on muscle quality integrates indices of fat infiltration and metabolic dysfunction. Nutritional interventions aim to preserve or restore muscle mass and function through optimised protein intake, energy provision and targeted micronutrients. Leucine-enriched protein supplements, vitamin D repletion and anti-inflammatory nutrients have shown promise in mitigating muscle loss. Multimodal strategies that couple resistance exercise with tailored dietary prescriptions enhance anabolic responsiveness. Implementation in diverse care settings demands user-friendly screening tools, pragmatic imaging protocols and consensus diagnostic criteria to guide timely referral and intervention. Ongoing research explores personalised nutrition based on inflammatory status, sarcopenic obesity profiles and underlying comorbidities, with the goal of reducing frailty, falls and hospitalisation worldwide.
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Sarcopenia Assessment and Nutritional Interventions in Older Adults publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sarcopenia assessment and nutritional interventions in older adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Sarcopenia: Age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength and function.
Myosteatosis: Fat infiltration within muscle tissue that impairs muscle quality.
Sarcopenic obesity: Coexistence of reduced muscle mass with excess adipose tissue.
Appendicular lean mass: Combined lean tissue mass of arms and legs, typically adjusted for height.
GLIM criteria: Consensus diagnostic framework requiring one phenotypic and one aetiologic criterion for malnutrition.
References
- Myosteatosis is closely associated with sarcopenia and significantly worse outcomes in patients with cirrhosis. Journal of Hepatology (2024).
- GLIM criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition – A consensus report from the global clinical nutrition community. Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle (2019).
- Sarcopenia in daily practice: assessment and management. BMC Geriatrics (2016).
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