Possible predictors for sarcopenia in community-dwelling elderly: neck and calf circumferences

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between sarcopenia and calf and neck circumferences. One hundred seventy-seven community-dwelling elderly individuals (over 65 years old) were recruited. A questionnaire was applied via face-to-face interview and the MNA-SF was used to assess nutritional status. In addition, some anthropometric measurements and handgrip strength were assessed by dieticians to determine sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was defined according to the European consensus definition of the EWGSOP-2 criteria. Neck (p<0.001), calf (p=0.001), and waist circumference (p<0.001) were significantly higher in nonsarcopenic elderly women but in men. According to ROC analyses, neck (AUC: 74.7%), calf circumferences (AUC: 74.3%), and BMI (AUC: 80.4%) are possible predictors of sarcopenia in elderly women. This is the first study to demonstrate that neck circumference can be useful for predicting sarcopenia in community-dwelling women over 65 years old. These findings may contribute to the development of new strategies to screen for sarcopenia.