BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the factors related to sarcopenic obesity among the elderly in South Korea. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 3,367 elderly (≥ 65 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008–2011) were included in this analysis. The subjects were assessed to determine their sarcopenia and obesity status. Sarcopenia was assessed by determining their appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM). Obesity was defined by the waist circumference. An association of sarcopenic obesity and the related factors was analyzed using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: The risk of sarcopenic obesity of the subjects was decreased by active physical activity. After adjusting for age, smoking, and alcohol consumption, the risk of sarcopenic obesity in men of the highest level group (Q4) decreased by 45% (OR = 0.550, 95% CI = 0.334–0.905, P trend 0.018) compared to that in the reference group (Q1). Among the women, the risk of sarcopenic obesity in the Q3 and Q4 groups decreased by 29.0% (OR = 0.710, 95% CI = 0.512–0,984) and 56.7% (OR = 0.433, 95% CI = 0.281–0.668), respectively, compared to that in the Q1 group (P trend < 0.001). The mean daily energy intake was higher in the non-sarcopenia group than in the sarcopenia group. The risk of sarcopenic obesity in subjects not meeting the recommended intakes of energy, riboflavin, and vitamin C increased significantly by 25.4%, and 36.6%, and 32.6%, respectively, compared to that in the subjects meeting the recommended nutrient intake. CONCLUSION: Active physical activity as well as an adequate intake of energy and some vitamins might be negatively associated with the development of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in the elderly.
Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; Ascorbic Acid ; Energy Intake ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Riboflavin ; Sarcopenia ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vitamins ; Waist Circumference

BACKGROUND: Handgrip strength is a simple, convenient and economic tool measuring the muscle strength. A few studies investigated the relationship between diabetes and handgrip strength but the results are conflicting. This study investigated the association of handgrip strength with diabetes among the adult Koreans. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from participants aged 20 years or more (n=8,082) who measured height, weight, handgrip strength and fasting blood glucose in the 2014–2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Relative handgrip strength (RHGS) was defined as the sum of the greatest handgrip strengths in both hands divided by body mass index. To investigate the association of diabetes with handgrip strength, complex sample multivariate logistic regression analyses were done after adjusting for socioeconomic (age, sex, education), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, obesity) and comorbid (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, coronary artery disease, arthritis) variables. Stratified analysis were done according to socioeconomic and lifestyle variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes was 8.3% (standard error, 0.4). After adjusting for socioeconomic, lifestyle, and comorbid variables, the risk of diabetes increased according to the decrease in sex-specific quartile of RHGS (P(trend)<0.001). Individuals with lower RHGS (per 1 standard deviation decrease) had higher odds of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–2.0). Furthermore, lower RHGS was associated with higher odds for diabetes throughout the strata of socioeconomic and lifestyle variables. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based, nationally representative study suggests that lower RHGS is associated with the increased risk of diabetes regardless of socioeconomic and lifestyle variables.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Blood Glucose ; Body Mass Index ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Fasting ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Korea ; Life Style ; Logistic Models ; Lung Diseases, Obstructive ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Stroke

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine effects of a multifactorial program for preventing the frailty of older adults and effects of a follow-up program applying a capacity building strategy. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used for the nonequivalent control group. The follow-up group (n=75) and non-follow-up group (n=68) received the same multifactorial program comprising muscle strength exercise, cognitive training, and psychosocial programs for 12 weeks. After completion of multifactorial program, the follow-up group took follow-up programs applying the capacity building strategy for following 12 weeks. The data of physical function, cognitive function, and psychological function, and self-rated health were collected from both groups three times: before intervention, after intervention, and 12 weeks after intervention. The data were analyzed using χ2 test and t-test. RESULTS: In comparison with the non-follow-up group, the scores of Timed Up & Go Test, and physical activities energy expenditure were significantly improved in the follow-up group. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that a multifactorial program with follow-up adapting the strategies of capacity building for the older adults group is feasible to prevent the physical frailty in community.
Adult ; Capacity Building ; Cognition ; Energy Metabolism ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength

Muscle strength and physical function decrease in older men, as do testosterone levels. Nonetheless, the effects of testosterone replacement therapy on muscle strength and physical function remain inconclusive and equivocal. We conducted a rapid systematic review, the results of which showed that testosterone replacement does not affect muscle strength (measured by hand grip strength and leg muscle strength), although it may increase physical function (measured by the 6-minute walk test, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly score, and other physical performance tests). However, most of the studies were conducted in the United States or Europe and did not include participants from Asian or other ethnic backgrounds; therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of testosterone replacement in a broader population.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Europe ; Hand ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Leg ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength* ; Testosterone* ; United States

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of taping intervention in patients with stroke through a review analysis of taping interventions used to enhance physical function and activity in patients with stroke. We searched randomized controlled trials using electronic databases. We also manually reviewed sources to identify additional relevant studies. Taping intervention is an approach to treat individuals with impaired physical function and activity. Taping interventions affect body functions by providing increased muscle strength, proprioceptive sensation, and range of motion, as well as decreased rigidity and pain. Taping interventions also improve walking, balance and arm functions, such as physical activity. Taping intervention for patients with stroke has been shown to be highly effective and is therefore strongly recommended; however, it is suggested that it be further developed to improve its efficacy as an intervention method and to create additional taping methods.
Arm ; Humans ; Methods ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Sensation ; Stroke* ; Walking

PURPOSE: Low muscle strength is central to geriatric physical disabilities and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to examine handgrip strength (HGS) and its associated factors among community-dwelling older people in Sri Lanka. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Kandy district using multistage sampling. A total of 999 older people were recruited, with a female preponderance. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires on demographic characteristics, depression, and physical activity. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, calf circumference, and HGS were recorded. Complex sample general linear model was used to examine the association between HGS and its associated factors. RESULTS: The mean highest HGS of the study group was 12.56 kg (95% confidence interval: 11.94–13.19). Male older people had a higher HGS (17.02, 95% confidence interval: 15.55–18.49 kg) than females (10.59, 95% confidence interval: 10.12–11.06 kg). For both men and women, older age was associated with lower HGS, while mid-upper arm circumference was associated with better HGS. Diabetes mellitus, vegetarian diet, and alcohol consumption were associated with HGS for women only. CONCLUSION: Men had a higher HGS compared with women. Age, mid-upper arm circumference, diabetes mellitus, vegetarian diet, and alcohol consumption were factors associated with HGS among community-dwelling older people in Kandy district, Sri Lanka. HGS can be used as a feasible strategy to improve health status of older people by community health nurses.
Aged* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Arm ; Cross-Sectional Studies* ; Depression ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diet, Vegetarian ; Female ; Hand Strength ; Humans ; Independent Living ; Linear Models ; Male ; Mortality ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength ; Nurses, Community Health ; Sri Lanka*

Working in prolonged standing position among industrial workers has been shown to be associated with different potentially serious health outcomes, namely lower back pain, leg pain, fatigue, discomfort, and other health issues. Personalisation of insole offers a solution that will provide a perfect fit and comfort to the shoes wearer based on the ergonomic considerations. It works in a way that it alters the pressure away from painful areas by increasing the surface area that supports the weight of the body and evenly distributes it to the whole plantar area. Survey was conducted among workers at a manufacturing industry company to study on the level of pain experienced by them together with their foot anthropometry. Then, the foot pressure of each of the workers was collected by using pressure measurement device (F-scan). Combination of these data was used to design the customized insole that is fit for the worker. The personalised insoles were fabricated by using Additive Manufacturing technology. After that, the insoles were validated by using the F-scan and Electromyogram (EMG) to ensure their effectiveness in reducing pressures on the foot and muscle activity hence improving the comfort of the shoe wearer. At the end of the experiment, it was found that the insole is able to reduce the peak pressure of four out of five areas of the worker’s foot with the reduction of pressure percentage ranging from 6% to 28%.
Personalised insole ; additive manufacturing ; foot pressure ; muscle activity

Obesity and diabetes has become a major epidemic across the globe. Controlling obesity has been a challenge since this would require either increased physical activity or reduced caloric intake; both are difficult to enforce. There has been renewed interest in exploiting pathways such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-mediated uncoupling in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue to increase energy expenditure to control weight gain. However, relying on UCP1-based thermogenesis alone may not be sufficient to control obesity in humans. On the other hand, skeletal muscle is the largest organ and a major contributor to basal metabolic rate and increasing energy expenditure in muscle through nonshivering thermogenic mechanisms, which can substantially affect whole body metabolism and weight gain. In this review we will describe the role of Sarcolipin-mediated uncoupling of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase (SERCA) as a potential mechanism for increased energy expenditure both during cold and diet-induced thermogenesis.
Adipose Tissue, Brown ; Adipose Tissue, White ; Basal Metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Energy Intake ; Energy Metabolism* ; Hand ; Humans ; Metabolism ; Motor Activity ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Obesity ; Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-Transporting ATPases ; Thermogenesis* ; Weight Gain

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure. The benefits of physical activity for health maintenance have been well documented, especially in the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Therefore, accurate measurement of physical activity and energy expenditure is essential both for epidemiological studies and in the clinical context. Given the large number of available methods, it is important to have an understanding of each, especially when one needs to choose a technique to use. The purpose of this review was to discuss the components of total energy expenditure and present advantage and limitations of different methods of physical activity and energy expenditure assessment.
Chronic Disease ; Energy Metabolism* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Methods* ; Motor Activity* ; Muscle, Skeletal

Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a rare disorder caused by genetic and epigenetic aberrations in the GNAS complex locus resulting in impaired expression of stimulatory G protein (Gsα). PHP type Ib (PHP-Ib) is characterized by hypocalcemia and hyperphosphatemia due to renal resistance to the parathyroid hormone, and is distinguished from PHP-Ia by the absence of osteodystrophic features. An 11-yr-old boy presented with poor oral intake and cramping lower limb pain after physical activity. Laboratory studies revealed hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, and increased parathyroid hormone levels. The GNAS complex locus was evaluated using the methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) assay. Gain of methylation in the NESP55 domain and loss of methylation in the antisense (AS) transcript, XL, and A/B domains in the maternal allele were observed. Consequently, we present a case of PHP-Ib diagnosed using MS-MLPA.
Alleles ; Epigenomics ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; Humans ; Hyperphosphatemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Methylation* ; Motor Activity ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Muscle Cramp ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Pseudohypoparathyroidism*