Abstract

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia significantly increases the risk of hospitalization and mortality in older adults. However, the prevalence by sex varies across populations and according to the criteria used by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2). Hence, in the current study, we aim to characterize the prevalence of sarcopenia by jointly evaluating all three diagnostic domains in a Mexican cohort of older adults subscribed to a health insurance plan. Methods: We performed binomial and multinomial regression models, ordinal logistic regression, and multiple linear regression from the data corresponding to muscle mass (ASMI), muscle strength (handgrip dynamometry), and physical performance (SPPB) from 556 Mexican older adults (62.2% female; 72.27 ± 6.35 y.o.) categorized by sarcopenia severity according to the EWGSOP2. Results: Men exhibited significantly higher absolute muscle mass and strength across all categories (p < 0.001). Additionally, our statistical analyses demonstrate that age, but not sex, is involved in sarcopenia severity in this population. Moreover, when analyzing the disaggregated EWGSOP2 domains, the results demonstrate that sex is significantly associated with muscle mass (ASMI) and muscle strength (Handgrip strength). Conclusions: These results suggest that sex only influences both muscle mass (ASMI) and muscle strength (handgrip strength) while sarcopenia severity only depends on age.

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