Cross-sectional analysis shows poor sleep quality linked to higher sarcopenic obesity in aging adults, indicating potential health risks.
Introduction Rising obesity rates and population aging create a prime environment for the development of sarcopenic obesity (SO) in India. Sarcopenic obesity is the coexistence of excess fat mass and sarcopenia within an individual. Some studies suggest that sleep characteristics may contribute to the development of SO. Although the prevalence of sarcopenic obesity has been examined in studies from India, the role of sleep in SO has not yet been investigated. Our objective was to describe the association between sleep quality and sarcopenic obesity among aging adults in India. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI; Wave 1, 2017–2018) for associations between sociodemographic characteristics, sleep quality, and SO. Summed sleep scores were dichotomized; sarcopenia was determined using gait speed and handgrip strength; and body mass index cutoffs for Asian populations were used to classify obesity. Results Among 58,672 respondents, 50% reported poor sleep, 37,977 (65%) had sarcopenia and 18% had SO. Unadjusted odds ratios indicated that being female (OR: 2.22; CI: 2.12–2.32), age 45–64 (OR: 1.30; CI: 1.20–1.33), widowed (OR: 1.23; CI: 1.17–1.30), higher BMI (OR: 1.57, CI: 1.55 – 1.58), more comorbidities (OR: 4.43; CI: 4.20–4.68), and poor sleep quality (OR: 1.23; CI: 1.18–1.28) were associated with increased odds of SO. In multivariate models adjusted for sociodemographic factors, poor sleep was associated with 15% higher odds of sarcopenic obesity. Conclusion Poor sleep quality is experienced by a substantial proportion of older adults in India and is significantly associated with increased odds of sarcopenic obesity. Support (if any)
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Ramamurthi et al. (2026) studied this question.
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