Key result
Advancing age correlates with declining appendicular skeletal muscle mass, with low mass affecting ~17% of females.
Why the study?
The correlation between skeletal muscle mass and age among healthy adults without major diseases was not well characterized.
Cross-Sectional (n=1,836)
No
p-value: p=<0.001
Skeletal muscle mass declines significantly with age after 50 in males and 60 in females, with females having a higher prevalence of low relative skeletal muscle index.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between skeletal muscle mass and age among check-up adults. METHODS: The study objects were those who aged 18-87 years old and came to a city hospital of Qiqihar for health examination from December, 2013 to September, 2014, excepted those with coronary heart disease, infectious disease, endocrine system disease, hypertension, anemia, cancer, liver disease, kidney disease and those carrying with heart pacemaker. A total of 1 836 respondents were finally enrolled into analysis. Appendicular Skeletal Muscle (ASM) was measured by a Body Composition Analyzer, and relative skeletal muscle index (RSMI) was calculated. The relationship among ASM, RSMI and age was assessed by linear regression analysis. The difference of height, weight, BMI, waist-hip-ratio (WHR), total muscle mass and percentage of body fat between genders were tested by t-test. The difference of ASM and total skeletal muscle mass between genders and among age groups was tested by multi-factor variance analysis. The difference of the muscle decline between genders was compared by Chi-square test. RESULTS: The total muscle mass in males was (52.22 ± 6.65) kg, which was significantly higher than that in females ((38.05 ± 4.39) kg) (t=28.20, P<0.001). ASM in 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-87 years was (24.64 ± 3.23), (24.00 ± 3.12), (24.35 ± 3.03), (23.33 ± 2.97), (22.54 ± 2.91) and (21.40 ± 3.36) kg (F=16.12, P<0.001) in males, respectively, and (16.48 ± 3.14), (16.72 ± 1.93), (16.75 ± 1.93), (16.84 ± 2.28), (16.52 ± 2.35) and(14.70 ± 2.37)kg (F=4.38, P=0.001) in females, respectively. ASM in males ((23.72 ± 3.16) kg) was higher than that in females ((16.65 ± 2.25) kg) (t=55.97, P<0.001). There was a negative correlation between age and ASM in males after 50 years old, the regression equation was y=28.31-0.09x (P<0.001). While a negative correlation between age and ASM in females occurred after 60 years old, the regression equation was y=27.69-0.18x (P<0.001). The prevalence of low ASM was 16.85% (124/736) in females, which was significantly higher than that in males (8.73%, 96/1 100) (χ(2)=27.57, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: A negative correlation was found between age and ASM in males after 50 years old and in females after 60 years old. The prevalence of low RSMI in females was significantly higher than that in males.
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Wang et al. (2016) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy adults (n=1,836). Age was evaluated on Appendicular Skeletal Muscle (ASM) mass (p=<0.001). Appendicular skeletal muscle mass was negatively correlated with age in males after 50 years and females after 60 years (P<0.001), with a higher prevalence of low ASM in females (16.85% vs 8.73%).
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