Sarcopenic obesity can rob people of their strength – but even tiny bursts of exercise can support a lot

It’s no secret that getting older can sap our strength. This age-related muscle loss—known as sarcopenia—can ultimately lead to more falls, longer hospital stays, difficulty walking or using the bathroom, and less independence. Ultimately, it could mean moving into a nursing home.

Many people imagine that a person with this condition is ancient, fragile, and very slim. But in fact, people who are not slim—and not particularly ancient—can also have sarcopenia.

Sarcopenic obesity occurs when a person who has excess body weight – especially fat – has also lost a lot of muscle mass and strength.

This condition, caused by lack of exercise and indigent nutrition, can catch people by surprise and manifest long before they realize they have a problem. It can affect robust people, especially from middle age.

Hidden state

Sarcopenic obesity is a hidden disease. On the outside, a person may appear overweight – but on the inside, they have lost a lot of muscle mass and strength.

Or they may not look obese but have actually lost muscle and gained fat. This means that someone in their 60s who still wears the same size clothes they did in their 20s may still have sarcopenic obesity.

While many people are aware of the health problems that are often associated with obesity (such as a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death), the combined effects of obesity and low muscle mass are even more harmful.

This is because muscles are critical for both movement and metabolism in our body. People with sarcopenic obesity are in greater risk loss of ability to perform daily activities such as walking or going to or from the toilet. It can also mean increased morbidity and premature death.

Why does sarcopenic obesity affect people so often?

Sarcopenic obesity can gradually attack us over time. People may not look fragile or slim, but in reality they have already lost a lot of muscle due to lack of apply.

Studies Studies have shown that people can lose up to 1% of their muscle mass per year from age 40.

Maintained muscle mass can also be less functional and is often laced with fat – a bit like a piece of wagyu beef.

Another review he suggested Visceral (belly) fat can escalate by more than 200% in men and by 400% in women between the ages of 30 and 70.

What can I do?

There are many things you can do – but it may take time. If you want to reverse your sarcopenic obesity or reduce your risk of developing it, you can try:

• do more exercisesincluding endurance (strength) and aerobic training

• try to escalate your physical activity to 150–300 minutes per week, including two or three sessions of endurance training (lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises)

• walk more or ride a bike

• exercises in the pool.

You may also want to consider adjusting your diet because nutrition also plays an critical role in reversing sarcopenic obesity.

However, very low-calorie diets, commonly used to reverse obesity, can also reduce muscle mass. You may lose fat, but you also risk losing muscle and strength.

Latest research paper co-authored by one of us (Carla Prado), it is suggested instead to aim for a moderate reduction in energy intake of 200–700 calories per day and escalate physical activity.

Same paper suggests considering adding more protein to your diet (1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day). This can support minimize food cravings and maintain or escalate muscle mass.

Lean protein sources include:

• Low-fat dairy products

• white fish

• chicken breast

• lean beef or pork

• lentils

• low-fat soy milk

• tempeh or tofu.

Making these changes to physical activity and diet isn’t uncomplicated. But the more sarcopenic obesity progresses, the harder it is to exercise, which makes the problem worse. It’s a vicious cycle.

What can doctors and governments do?

Doctors in Australia can talk to their patients about their options for using the Medicare-funded program Treatment of chronic diseases program, which covers the cost of five therapy sessions a year with an exercise physiologist and a dietitian.

If you have private health insurance, it may cover some additional consultations.

Yes, treatment and support can be pricey. But the health benefits and savings usually pay off over time.

Family doctors and other healthcare professionals can also refer to current diagnostic and screening criteria to better identify individuals with sarcopenic obesity or those at risk of sarcopenic obesity.

The modern diagnostic criteria represent a major step towards policy changes to better diagnose and treat sarcopenic obesity.

Doctors may also suggest their patients consider:

It is necessary to train medical personnel and raise public awareness.

We also need more research funding to better understand the causes of sarcopenic obesity and develop targeted interventions to prevent and reverse this disease.