Introduction:

There are no studies in Chile that quantify the prevalence of pre-sarcopenic obesity. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of pre-sarcopenic obesity in Chilean older adults.

Methodology:

240 people ≥60 years from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016-2017 were included. Pre-sarcopenia was estimated with the handgrip test and obesity was defined using waist circumference. As a sensitivity analysis, obesity was classified in a subsample of 129 people using body mass index (BMI). Based on the obesity and muscle strength criteria, the participants were categorized as: normal; obesity/ normal; normal/pre-sarcopenia and obesity/pre-sarcopenia.

Results:

22.6% of the population presented obesity/pre-sarcopenia using waist circumference as a diagnostic parameter. The prevalence of pre-sarcopenic obesity was higher in women (22.9%), in older people (33.0%), with urban residence (22.8%), and lower educational levels (37.3%). By incorporating the BMI as an obesity criterion, a decrease in the prevalence of pre-sarcopenic obesity (12.2%) and a higher percentage of women with this phenotype were identified.

Conclusions:

The prevalence of pre-sarcopenic obesity was identified in 22.6% of the older Chilean population included. Considering the role of obesity and sarcopenia in the development of non-communicable diseases, its identification and early detection could allow the creation of interventions that favours the survival and health of the elderly.

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