Prevalence and risk factors for sarcopenia in active community-dwelling older adults according to the EWGSOP2 criteria

•The prevalence of confirmed sarcopenia in Spanish community-dwelling adults according to EWGSOP2 criteria was lower than European adults.•Among community-dwelling older adults, we found that age, education level, and taking four or more pills per day correlated and significantly increased the risk of sarcopenia.•It is conceivable that future revisions of diagnostic criteria for confirmed sarcopenia may include variables that analyze muscle quality and functionality. The prevalence of sarcopenia depends on the diagnostic criteria and updates used. There are few studies investigating the relationship between the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) criteria and risk factors in active community-dwelling older adults. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 533 community-dwelling active older adults were assessed. 3.75 % were diagnosed with confirmed sarcopenia and 15.86 % with probable sarcopenia. The risk of sarcopenia was found to increase with age, taking more than four tablets a day and having a low level of education. There is a possible association between smoking and living alone. In contrast, active older adults had a lower prevalence of sarcopenia compared to the European and global populations, suggesting a protective effect of physical activity adherence against sarcopenia. Further studies in this population are needed to increase the sample size and to better understand the development and factors associated with sarcopenia.