Identification of Sarcopenic Obesity in German Nursing Home Residents—The Role of Body Composition and Malnutrition in the BaSAlt Cohort-Study

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a phenotype, which is defined by reduced muscle strength, muscle mass, and obesity. Limited mobility leads to increased sedentary behavior and decreased physical activity. Both sarcopenia and obesity are aggravated by these factors. In combination, SO is an additional challenge for the setting nursing home (NH). Previous studies have shown a low prevalence of residents with SO in comparable settings, such as community-dwelling. We hypothesize that the BaSAlt cohort also has a small proportion of residents with SO. Methods: For the analysis, 66 residents (women: 74.2%) aged ≥ 65 years from NH, were screened for SO based on EWGSOP2 specifications and cut-off values to classify obesity. Results: Severe sarcopenia was quantified in eleven residents (16.7%). The majority of sarcopenic residents were women (n = 10) compared to men (n = 1). However, no SO could be identified by assessment of body mass index, fat mass in percentage, and fat mass index. Conclusion: As expected, the setting-specific cohort showed a low number of SO. Furthermore, no case of SO was identified in our study. Sarcopenia was associated with an increased fat-free mass in NH residents. Nevertheless, sarcopenia and obesity play important roles in the preservation of residents’ health.