Sarcopenic Obesity and Dynapenic Obesity: 5-Year Associations with Falls Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Objectives: To determine whether obesity concurrent with sarcopenia (low muscle mass) or dynapenia (low muscle strength) is associated with increased falls risk in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: 5-year prospective cohort study including 674 community-dwelling volunteers (mean +/- SD age 61.4 +/- 7.0 years; 48% female). Sarcopenia and dynapenia were defined as lowest sex-specific tertiles for dual-energy X-ray (DXA)-assessed appendicular lean mass (adjusted for height and fat mass) or lowerlimb strength, respectively. Obesity was defined as the highest tertiles of DXA-assessed total or trunk fat mass. Change in falls risk was calculated using the Physiological Profile Assessment (z-scores: 0-1=mild increased risk; 1-2=moderate increased risk; >2=arked increased risk). Results: Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed mild but significantly increased falls risk scores for dynapenic obesity (change in mean z-score compared to non-dynapenic, non-obese group: 0.33, 95% CI 0.06-0.59 [ men] and 0.46, 95% CI 0.21-0.72 [ women]) and dynapenia (0.25, 95% CI 0.05-0.46 [ women only]). Conclusions: Dynapenic obesity, but not sarcopenic obesity, is predictive of increased falls risk score in middle-aged and older adults. s In clinical settings, muscle function assessments may be useful for predicting falls risk in obese patients.