Prevalence of Sarcopenia Risk and Its Associations with Physical Performance, Mental Health, Lifestyle Behaviors, Nutritional Status, and Short- Bout Physical Activity Among Community Dwelling Older Adults in the UAE: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Sarcopenia is an aging process characterized by a loss of muscle mass, muscle strength and muscle functional capacity that can result in disability, independence loss and a decrease in the quality of life. Multiple geriatric health domains may contribute to sarcopenia risk; however, comprehensive multidomain evidence from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia risk and examine its associations with physical performance, mental health, lifestyle behaviors, nutritional status, and short-bout physical activity among community-dwelling older adults in the UAE. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample size of 495 older adults ≥ 60 years from the UAE. Risk of sarcopenia was assessed by the SARC-CalF tool. The following variables were measured by validated scales: physical performance, cognitive function, depressive symptoms, nutritional status, and lifestyles behaviors. Short bouts of physical activity were assessed by a newly developed questionnaire from existing evidence on exercise snacking and brief bouts of physical activity. Results: Risk of sarcopenia was found in 29.7% of patients. There were significant relationships between the risk of sarcopenia and the following variables: physical performance, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, nutritional status, lifestyle behaviors and short bouts of physical activity (all p < 0.001). In the adjusted model poor physical performance (AOR = 2.59; CI: 1.14–5.85), severe cognitive impairment (AOR = 2.92, CI: 1.33–6.40), risk of malnutrition (AOR = 5.02, CI: 2.56–9.84) and malnutrition (AOR = 9.28, CI: 3.62–23.81) were independent predictors of risk of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia risk loose independent significance with multivariable SBOPA models. Depressive symptoms, lifestyle behaviors, peak expiratory flow (PEF), and short-bout physical activity did not retain statistical significance after multivariable adjustment. Conclusions: The risk of sarcopenia is notably common among older adults living in the community in the UAE and is linked to various health-related aspects in geriatrics. Key independent predictors identified include diminished physical performance, cognitive deficits, and inadequate nutritional status. These results underscore the need for comprehensive screening and coordinated geriatric interventions to facilitate the early detection and prevention of sarcopenia.