Sarcopenic obesity and its association with respiratory disease incidence and mortality

Petermann-Rocha, F., Yang, S., Gray, S. R. , Pell, J. P. , Celis-Morales, C. and Ho, F. K. (2020) Sarcopenic obesity and its association with respiratory disease incidence and mortality. Clinical Nutrition, 39(11), pp. 3461-3466. (doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.03.006) (PMID:32204975)

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenic obesity is defined as a combination of sarcopenia and obesity. Previous studies have shown a positive association between sarcopenia and respiratory disease, while other studies have identified that obese individuals have a lower risk for respiratory diseases. This study aimed to investigate the association of obesity, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity with respiratory disease incidence and mortality. Methods: Data from 170,083 participants from the prospective UK Biobank study were included. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the combination of sarcopenia with one of the following obesity criteria: BMI ≥30 kg/m2, waist circumference (WC) ≥ 88 cm in women or ≥ 102 cm in men, or the two highest quintiles of body fat. Respiratory disease incidence and mortality were the outcomes. Results: The mean follow-up period was 7.0 years. 5,459 (3.2%) participants developed respiratory diseases and 780 (0.5%) died from respiratory diseases. Compared to individuals without obesity or sarcopenia, those who were obese (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.13 [95 CI: 1.03; 1.23]), sarcopenic (HR: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.10; 1.36]) or sarcopenic obese (based on BMI) (HR: 1.51 [95% CI: 1.30; 1.77]), had a higher risk of respiratory disease incidence. However, the risk of respiratory disease mortality was higher in sarcopenic individuals and lower in obese individuals. No associations were identified between sarcopenic obesity and respiratory mortality (HR: 1.12 [95% CI: 0.76; 1.63]). Similar patterns were found when obesity was defined using WC or body fat. Conclusion: – Obesity, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity were associated with a higher risk of respiratory disease incidence. However, while obesity was associated with lower, and sarcopenia with higher respiratory mortality risk, no associations between sarcopenic obesity and respiratory mortality were identified.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: UK Biobank was established by the Wellcome Trust medical charity, Medical Research Council, Department of Health, Scottish Government and the Northwest Regional Development Agency. It has also had funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and the British Heart Foundation. All authors had final responsibility for submission for publication. FPR receives financial support from the Chilean Government for doing her PhD (CONICYT-Becas Chile).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ho, Dr Frederick and Celis, Dr Carlos and Gray, Professor Stuart and Pell, Professor Jill and Petermann-Rocha, Mrs Fanny
• Authors: Petermann-Rocha, F., Yang, S., Gray, S. R., Pell, J. P., Celis-Morales, C., and Ho, F. K.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health
• Journal Name: Clinical Nutrition
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0261-5614
• ISSN (Online): 1532-1983
• Published Online: 12 March 2020
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
• First Published: First published in Clinical Nutrition 39(11): 3461-3466
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy