Prevalence of sarcopenic obesity based on newly proposed diagnostic criteria and functional outcomes in older adults undergoing rehabilitation

In 2022, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) working group proposed uniform diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity. However, no study has adapted these criteria to an Asian population or examined sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed using these criteria or its association with functional outcomes. This retrospective cohort study investigated sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed based on the ESPEN and EASO criteria, and its association with functional outcomes in 1080 older Japanese patients (mean age 79.5 years, 43.5 % male) undergoing rehabilitation. Based on the mentioned criteria, sarcopenic obesity is defined as a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, increased percent body fat (PBF), reduced skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and low handgrip strength. Sarcopenic obesity prevalence was investigated using various ESPEN- and EASO-proposed definitions of increased PBF and reduced SMM. Functional outcomes were evaluated based on whether patients improved in the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). The prevalence was 4.3–5.3 %. Sarcopenic obesity was not independently related to FIM MCID achievement. Sarcopenic obesity prevalence—based on the ESPEN and EASO criteria—in older Japanese patients undergoing rehabilitation was low and was not associated with poor functional outcomes. •Newly proposed uniform diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity in 2022.•Aim: To assess prevalence of sarcopenic obesity and its functional outcomes.•The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity ranged from 4.3 % to 5.3 %.•No association between prevalence of sarcopenic obesity and functional outcomes.