Sarcopenia Indices: Age- And Gender-related Differences In Body Composition, Strength, And Muscle Quality

To examine age- and gender-related differences in body composition, strength, and muscle quality in older adults. 114 men and women (mean+ or -SD age: 68.3+ or -7.6 yrs; height: 167.7+ or -9.3 cm; weight: 72.3+ or -13.8 kg) age-stratified by decade (50s n=20; 60s n=51 ; 70s n=37; 80s n=7) completed a whole-body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan for total body lean mass (LM), total body fat mass (FM), total leg LM (TLLM), dominant arm lean mass (DALM), appendicular lean mass (ALM), and SMI (ALM/ht super(2)). For body composition, men in 50s, 60s, and 70s had greater DALM than 80s. LM, TLLM, and SMI in 50s, 60s, and 70s > 80s. Men were greater than women for LP, LM, TLLM, and SMI, while women > men for FM regardless of age, and DALM was greater for men than women in 50s, 60s, and 70s. FM or ALM did not change with age.