Sarcopenia em idosos residentes na comunidade: prevalência e associação com atividade física e comportamento sedentário

Abstract

Sarcopenia is considered a growing problem in public health, being characterized by a decrease in the quantity and quality of muscle related to human aging, progressing to disability and mortality. Its occurrence varies depending on the population studied, such as sex, age, body composition between ethnicities, living conditions, instruments and diagnostic criteria. From the prevalence rates and associations with behavioral and health variables, it is possible to broaden the understanding about the disease. Therefore, two investigations were carried out: 1) a systematic review with meta analysis, to measure the prevalence rate of sarcopenia in the elderly Brazilian population residing in the community; 2) an observational, analytical and cross sectional study with the purpose of examining the hypothetical effects of replacing the time spent in sleep, sedentary behavior and domains of physical activity (PA) in sarcopenia in the elderly. In the systematic review study, searches were performed using the PubMed, Medline, LILACS and SciELO databases, accessed through the Capes and VHL Journal Portal, with the selection of studies with information on the prevalence of sarcopenia in the elderly Brazilian population. The meta-analysis was performed to measure the prevalence of sarcopenia using the random effect model, with heterogeneity being assessed by the Chi-square test with significance of p < 0.10 and its magnitude quantified by the I2. The cross-sectional study was carried out with 457 elderly people living in the city of Alcobaça (BA), registered in the Family Health Strategy. The elderly who participated in the survey met all the necessary criteria, signed the consent form, answered a structured interview with questions about sociodemographic variables, health aspects and behavioral components. Sarcopenia was assessed according to the EWGSOP consensus. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistical procedures (distribution of absolute and relative frequency), calculation of central tendency (mean) and dispersion (standard deviation) and inferential measures, using isotemporal substitution models, by means of the estimation of the prevalence ratio (PR), with respective 95% CI, based on Poisson regression, with robust variance, with p < 0.05. The prevalence of sarcopenia in the Brazilian population residing in the community, according to the meta-analysis, was 15.0% (95% CI: 11.0 - 20.0; I2 = 96.7%), while the result of the present study was 15.8% (n = 72), with 95% CI. When carrying out analyzes of isotemporal substitution, it was observed that the substitution of time spent on behaviors such as sleep, sedentary behavior and domestic physical activity with physical transport activity can reduce the prevalence of sarcopenia. The longer the time replaced, the greater the health benefits. Replacing motionless behaviors with physical transport activity can be effective in reducing the occurrence of sarcopenia. Strategies are necessary to promote interventions associated with the practice of physical activity and decrease the rates of sedentary behavior to prevent and mitigate the risks to sarcopenia.