Calf circumference was negatively associated with all-cause mortality among the Chinese centenarians: a prospective study with a 5-year follow-up

Background Sarcopenia is an aging-related disorder characterized by a loss of muscle mass and function. Calf circumference (CC) is a useful surrogate marker of muscle mass and function. This prospective study was designed to investigate the association between CC and all-cause mortality during a follow-up for 5 years in the Chinese centenarians. Methods The China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study (CHCCS) is conducted in 18 cities and counties of Hainan, China. Results All 231 centenarians had a mean age of 103.03 years. Survival participants had a longer CC and were often living alone compared with others (P<0.05 for all). Multivariate Cox regression models showed that CC was negatively associated with all-cause mortality (P < 0.05 for all). Participants with a longer CC had a lower mortality risk compared with others [Exp(beta): 0.918; 95%confidence interval: 0.863-0.977]. Participants with a longer CC had a lower mortality risk whether they were males or females and lived with family members or alone. Conclusion CC was negatively associated with all-cause mortality and could be an indicator of future mortality among the Chinese centenarians. Further researches should focus on preventing a decline in the CC in order to promote human longevity.