Sarcopenia and Its Relationships with Depression, Cognition, and Physical Activity in Thai Community-Dwelling Older Adults

BACKGROUND: Age-related sarcopenia is associated with physical decline, including poor functional capacity, lack of physical activity, problems with activities of daily living, and disability. However, little is known about the association between mental health problems and cognitive function in older adults with sarcopenia. Therefore, this study explored community-dwelling older adults' sarcopenia prevalence and related associations with depression, cognitive performance, and physical activity. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 330 community-dwelling older adults (66.85 ± 5.54 years, 76.06% female). Based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia guidelines, gait speed, muscle mass, and handgrip were assessed. All participants responded to a set of questionnaires (e.g., Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, cognitive assessment, and depression scale). Logistic regression analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine independent predictors for sarcopenia. RESULTS: Overall, 16.1% of the participants were identified as having sarcopenia. Further, advanced age (i.e., mean age ≥ 70 years; odds ratio: 4.67), high depression scores (odds ratio: 2.09), mild cognitive impairment (odds ratio: 0.22), and low physical activity levels (odds ratio: 1.96) were significant associated risk factors for sarcopenia after adjusting for age, sex, and educational level. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia can lead to adverse health outcomes (i.e., depressive symptoms, cognitive decline, and low physical activity) in older adults.