Prevalence of Sarcopenia in a Cosmopolitan City in Eastern India

A bstract Background: Sarcopenia, characterized by age-related declines in muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, presents a significant health concern. In India, although older adults constitute only about 11% of the population, the country’s vast demographic base results in many individuals affected by sarcopenia. However, comprehensive data on sarcopenia prevalence in India remain limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of various sarcopenia stages and associated risk factors in a large cosmopolitan city in eastern India. Materials and Methods: A purposive sample of 227 community-dwelling adults (114 males and 113 females) aged over 50 years were assessed. The participant’s muscle mass, strength, and physical performance were measured using calf circumference (CC), hand grip strength (HGS), and the short physical performance battery (SPPB), following the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) guidelines. Descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine stage-wise differences. Participants were categorized into pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, and severe sarcopenia using a nested design. A classification tree–artificial neural network (CT-ANN) hybrid method analyzed the stages using 1000 iterations for each group in order to calculate a more reliable prevalence. Results: Pre-sarcopenia was observed in 41% of participants (36.6% males and 45% females), sarcopenia in 33.1% (27.2% males and 40.5% females), and severe sarcopenia in 22.2% of both sexes. Females demonstrated a higher prevalence of pre-sarcopenia and sarcopenia compared to males. No significant age differences were found between non-sarcopenic individuals (59.2 ± 6.92 years) and those across the sarcopenia stages. ANOVA showed significant differences in body mass index (BMI), CC, HGS, and SPPB between stages ( P < 0.01). Post hoc analysis indicated significant differences in BMI, CC, and HGS between non-sarcopenic and sarcopenic stages. SPPB scores differed significantly only between non-sarcopenic and severe sarcopenic individuals. Conclusion: The findings highlight a considerable prevalence of sarcopenia stages in an urban cosmopolitan city in eastern India, with females disproportionately affected. This emphasizes the need for further research to inform stage-specific prevention and management strategies tailored to India’s diverse population.