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Table 1 Proposed operational definitions of sarcopenia

From: Sarcopenia: burden and challenges for public health

Criteria

Muscle mass

Muscle function

   

Muscle strength

 

Physical performance

Baumgartner criteria [4]

Sarcopenia

ASM/ ht2 > 2 SD below young healthy mean

x

 

x

European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism Special Interest Groups (ESPEN-SIG) [7]

Sarcopenia

Percentage of muscle mass ≥2 SD below mean in young adults of the same sex and ethnic background (individuals aged 18–39 years in the NHANES III cohort)

x

 

Gait speed: <0.8 m/s or Reduced performance in any functional test used for comprehensive geriatric assessment

European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) [8]

Sarcopenia

ALM/ht2

Grip strength

OR

Gait speed: <0.8 m/s

- Men: ≤7.23 kg/m2

- Men: <30 kg

- Women: ≤5.67 kg/m2

- Women: <20 kg

Severe sarcopenia

AND

International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS) [9]

Sarcopenia

ALM/ht2

x

 

Gait speed: <1.0 m/s

- Men: ≤7.23 kg/m2

- Women: ≤5.67 kg/m2

Society of Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders [10]

Sarcopenia with limited mobility

ALM/ht2 > of 2 SD below the mean of healthy persons aged 20–30 years of the same ethnic group

x

 

Gait speed: ≤1.0 m/s or Walking distance < 400 m during a 6-min walk

Foundation of NIH Sarcopenia Project [11]

Weakness and low lean mass

ALMBMI

Grip strength

 

x

  

- Men: <0.789

- Men: <26 kg

  
  

- Women: <0.512

- Women: <16 kg

  
 

Slowness with weakness and low lean mass

  

AND

Gait speed: ≤0.8 m/s

  1. ASM/ ht2 = ratio of appendicular skeletal muscle mass over height squared; ALM/ht2 = ratio of appendicular lean mass over height squared; ALMBMI = ratio of appendicular lean mass over body mass index; SD standard deviation.