Prevalence and factors contributing to primary sarcopenia in relatively healthy older Indians attending the outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital: A cross‐sectional study

BACKGROUND: Literature is scarce on primary sarcopenia among Indian older adults. This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of primary sarcopenia among older persons in India using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in the Older People 2010 (EWGSOP) diagnostic criteria and to elucidate the factors leading to its development. METHODOLOGY: Two hundred twenty‐seven subjects over 60 years of age attending the geriatric outpatient clinic were recruited for the study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed based on set criteria for gait speed, handgrip, and skeletal muscle mass assessment by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. RESULT: The prevalence of primary sarcopenia in the study population was 39.2% (n = 89). Male patients were more sarcopenic than women, 47% (n = 72) vs 23% (n = 17). Obese subjects (body mass index > 25 kg/m(2)) had a lower prevalence of sarcopenia (odds ratio = 0.10; 95% confidence interval = 0.05–0.19). There was no association between sarcopenia and other postulated risk factors like low vitamin D levels, dietary protein or carbohydrate intake, or sedentary lifestyle. CONCLUSION: Contrary to published data, primary sarcopenia appears to be higher among older Indians using presently available guidelines. Community studies with validated cutoffs suited for the Indian subcontinent may yield a lower prevalence of primary sarcopenia.