Citation
Gross, Danae C.; Cheever, C. Ray; & Batsis, John A. (2023). Understanding the Development of Sarcopenic Obesity. Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 18(6), 469-488.Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenic obesity (SarcO) is defined as the confluence of reduced muscle mass and function and excess body fat. The scientific community is increasingly recognizing this syndrome, which affects a subgroup of persons across their lifespans and places them at synergistically higher risk of significant medical comorbidity and disability than either sarcopenia or obesity alone. Joint efforts in clinical and research settings are imperative to better understand this syndrome and drive the development of urgently needed future interventions.AREAS COVERED: Herein, we describe the ongoing challenges in defining sarcopenic obesity and the current state of the science regarding its epidemiology and relationship with adverse events. The field has demonstrated an emergence of data over the past decade which we will summarize in this article. While the etiology of sarcopenic obesity is complex, we present data on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that are hypothesized to promote its development, including age-related changes in body composition, hormonal changes, chronic inflammation, and genetic predisposition.
EXPERT OPINION: We describe emerging areas of future research that will likely be needed to advance this nascent field, including changes in clinical infrastructure, an enhanced understanding of the lifecourse, and potential treatments.
URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17446651.2023.2267672Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2023Journal Title
Expert Review of Endocrinology and MetabolismAuthor(s)
Gross, Danae C.Cheever, C. Ray
Batsis, John A.