Risk Factors for Decrease in The Cross-Sectional Area of the Paraspinal Muscle in 1,849 Individuals: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study

We investigated longitudinal losses of paraspinal muscle area in healthy individuals in a 10-year longitudinal retrospective observational study. Data from 1,849 individuals (1,690 men, 159 women) screened using computed tomography were examined. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors associated with paraspinal muscle area decreases; the area was significantly decreased at 10 years compared with the area at baseline regardless of age or sex, starting at 30 years of age. In regression analysis, only aging (≥50s [odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–2.84; p=0.03] and ≥60s [OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.55–4.60; p2 (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.01–1.73; p=0.04), and visceral fat ≥100 cm2 (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.20–2.15; p=0.001) were risk factors for erector muscle area decreases; physical activity ≥900 kcal/week (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.50–0.94; p=0.02) reduced erector muscle area loss in males. Our study demonstrated that walking >45 minutes daily could reduce paraspinal muscle loss, which in turn can decrease the risk of falls and low-back pain and might eventually help prevent sarcopenia.