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Background: Evidence suggests the pivotal contribution of nutrition as a modifiable risk factor for sarcopenia. The present cross-sectional study characterized the nutritional and metabolic profile of sarcopenia through an extensive exploration of a wide array of blood biomarkers related to muscle protein metabolism and transcriptomic signatures in community-dwelling elderly adults.Methods: Among 189 older individuals with a mean age of 73.2 years, sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria based on appendicular lean mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, muscle strength, and gait speed. Nutritional status was evaluated using the mini-nutritional assessment (MNA). In addition, we assessed specific blood biomarkers of nutritional status (plasma essential amino acids [EAAs], vitamins), nicotine-derived metabolites, and an extensive microarray analysis from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Results: Malnutrition defined by low MNA score was independently associated with sarcopenia (p < .001). Sarcopenic elderly showed lower body mass index and leptin and higher adiponectin and high-density lipoproteins. Levels of EAAs including lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, as well as branched-chain AAs and choline, were inversely associated with sarcopenia. Furthermore, nicotine metabolites (cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotine) and vitamin B6 status were linked to one or more clinical and functional measures of sarcopenia. Differentially expressed genes and ingenuity pathway analysis supported the association of nutrition with sarcopenia.Conclusions: Herein, the characterization of a nutritional and metabolic signature of sarcopenia provides a firm basis and potential identification of specific targets and directions for the nutritional approach to the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia in aging populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The independent and combined effects of physical and cognitive domains of frailty in predicting the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia are not firmly established.Methods: This study included cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of physical frailty (Cardiovascular Health Study criteria), cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]), and neurocognitive disorder (DSM-5 criteria) among 1,575 community-living Chinese older adults from the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Studies.Results: At baseline, 2% were frail, 32% were prefrail, and 9% had cognitive impairment (MMSE score < 23). Frailty at baseline was significantly associated with prevalent cognitive impairment. Physical frailty categories were not significantly associated with incident NCD, but continuous physical frailty score and MMSE score showed significant individual and joint associations with incident mild NCD and dementia. Compared with those who were robust and cognitively normal, prefrail or frail old adults without cognitive impairment had no increased risk of incident NCD, but elevated odds of association with incident NCD were observed for robust with cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 4.04, p < .001), prefrail with cognitive impairment (OR = 2.22, p = .044), and especially for frail with cognitive impairment (OR = 6.37, p = .005). The prevalence of co-existing frailty and cognitive impairment (cognitive frailty) was 1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5-1.4), but was higher among participants aged 75 and older at 5.0% (95% CI: 1.8-8.1).Conclusions: Physical frailty is associated with increased prevalence and incidence of cognitive impairment, and co-existing physical frailty and cognitive impairment confers additionally greater risk of incident NCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objective To examine the association between the social frailty (SF) phenotype and functional disability, independently of the physical frailty (PF) phenotype, and compare the abilities of the PF, SF, and combined social and physical (PSF) indexes for predicting functional disability. Method Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of a population-based cohort (Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study, SLAS-1) of 2406 community-dwelling older adults with 3 years of follow-up (N = 1254 and N = 1557 for instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) disability and severe disability (≥3 basic ADL) respectively). Measurements Seven-item social frailty index (living arrangements, education, socioeconomic status, and social network and support, 0 = nil SF, 1 = low, 2–7 = high), PF phenotype (Fried criteria), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) disability and severe disability (≥3 basic ADLs). Results Compared to nil SF, low and high SF were significantly associated with 1.3 to 2.4 fold increased prevalence and incidence of IADL disability, and 6.3 fold increase in severe disability. Frail individuals with and without SF stood out with 5-11 fold increased prevalence and incidence of IADL disability and 21-25 fold increased prevalence and incidence of severe disability, compared to robust individuals without SF. A combined PSF index more accurately identified individuals with increased risk of functional disability (ROC = 64%) and severe disability (ROC = 81%) than either the SF or the PF indexes alone (55% to 68%). Conclusion The SF index alone or in combination with the PF index has clinical relevance and utility for identifying and stratifying older people at risk of disability. The mental frailty construct is closely related to SF and should be further investigated in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The association between frailty and malnutrition is widely noted, but the common and distinct aspects of this relationship are not well understood. We investigated the prevalence of prefrailty/frailty and malnutrition/nutritional risk; their overlapping prevalence; compared their sociodemographic, physical, and mental health risk factors; and assessed their association, independently of other risk factors. Methods Cross-sectional study of population-based cohort (Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study [SLAS]-1 [enrolled 2003–2005] and SLAS-2 [enrolled 2010–2013]) of community-dwelling older Singaporeans aged ≥55 (n = 6045). Measurements Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)–Short Form (SF), Nutritional Screening Initiative (NSI) Determine Checklist, Fried physical frailty phenotype. Results The overall prevalence of MNA malnutrition was 2.8%, and at risk of malnutrition was 27.6%; the prevalence of frailty and prefrailty were 4.5%, and 46.0% respectively. Only 26.5% of participants who were malnourished were frail, but 64.2% were prefrail (totally 90.7% prefrail or frail). The prevalence of malnutrition among frail participants was 16.1%, higher than in other studies (10%); nearly one-third of the whole population sample had normal nutrition while being prefrail (27.7%) or frail (1.5%). The prevalence of risk factors for prefrailty/frailty and malnutrition/nutritional risk were remarkably similar. MNA at risk of malnutrition and malnutrition were highly significantly associated with prefrailty (odds ratio [OR] 2.11 and 6.71) and frailty (OR 2.72 and 17.4), after adjusting for many other risk factors. The OR estimates were substantially lower with NSI moderate and high nutritional risk for prefrailty (OR 1.39 and 1.74) and frailty (OR 1.27 and 1.93), but remain significantly elevated. Conclusion Frailty and malnutrition are related but distinct conditions in community-dwelling older adults. The contribution of poor nutrition to frailty in this population is notably greater. Both frail/prefrail elderly and those who are malnourished/at nutritional risk should be identified early and offered suitable interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Large-scale epidemiological surveys focusing on characteristic differences in psychological and physical health conditions in Chinese adults are lacking. Objective To investigate the association of noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs) with depression, anxiety and stress in the Chinese general population. Methods A total of 13784 participants were recruited from the baseline survey of the Cohort Study on Chronic Disease of Communities Natural Population in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei (CHCN-BTH) from 2017 to 2019. Sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle and NCDs were assessed via questionnaire. Stress, anxiety and depression were assessed by the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale (DASS-21). The relationship of NCDs with psychological symptoms was determined through logistic regression analysis. Results Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the prevalence of stress (OR = 1.640; 95% CI: 1.381-1.949), anxiety (OR = 1.654; 95% CI: 1.490-1.837) and depression (OR = 1.460; 95% CI: 1.286-1.658) symptoms were all significantly higher in patients with NCDs. Multimorbidities were associated with a higher risk of stress (OR = 2.310; 95% CI: 1.820-2.931), anxiety (OR = 2.119; 95% CI: 1.844-2.436) and depression (OR = 2.785; 95% CI: 1.499-2.126) than single NCDs. A course of disease within 1 year or more than 5 years also was associated with a higher risk. Limitations The cross-sectional design could not examine the causal link between psychological symptoms and NCDs. Conclusion Psychological symptoms were more prevalent among individuals with NCDs in the Chinese general population. This study suggests that more attention should be paid to the mental health problems of patients with NCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]