About this Research Topic
The association between chronic health morbidity and older age is one of the hallmarks of the aging population globally, and the prevalence of functional limitations and disability associated with a reduction of lean mass and strength is increasingly common in older people. Sarcopenia –a multifactorial complex geriatric syndrome characterized by a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength– is a key driver of frailty, disability, and mortality, and in some cases the loss of lean mass can be unseen if body weight remains stable, resulting in sarcopenic obesity, a condition that further increases the risk of disability, morbidity, and mortality.
Variables such as aging, dietary factors, body composition, neuromuscular and skeletal muscle changes, physical activity, mental health status, and other chronic disease states are known contributors to sarcopenia. However, the heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes, the complex pathophysiology, and the lack of standardized biomarkers hamper the development of efficient treatments for sarcopenia. The clinical implementation and the study of sarcopenia are further complicated by the frequent superimposition of prevalent age-related conditions, such as cachexia, malnutrition, metabolic rate changes, and comorbidities. The aim of this Research Topic is to address the current level of scientific knowledge relating to the factors contributing to sarcopenia, the diagnostic challenges, and the novel non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches for this condition.
Researchers are encouraged to submit original research articles, non-pharmacological intervention studies, reviews, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, case reports, perspectives, short communications as well as theoretical papers, opinions, and methods relevant to this article collection that will cover topics such as (but not limited to):
- association of dietary factors, physical activity, mental health status with sarcopenia prevalence in older adults
- epidemiology of sarcopenic obesity and other sarcopenia-related conditions
- new tools for sarcopenia diagnosis and discussion on sarcopenia diagnostic criteria
- development of novel non-pharmaceutical therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia management
Variables such as aging, dietary factors, body composition, neuromuscular and skeletal muscle changes, physical activity, mental health status, and other chronic disease states are known contributors to sarcopenia. However, the heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes, the complex pathophysiology, and the lack of standardized biomarkers hamper the development of efficient treatments for sarcopenia. The clinical implementation and the study of sarcopenia are further complicated by the frequent superimposition of prevalent age-related conditions, such as cachexia, malnutrition, metabolic rate changes, and comorbidities. The aim of this Research Topic is to address the current level of scientific knowledge relating to the factors contributing to sarcopenia, the diagnostic challenges, and the novel non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches for this condition.
Researchers are encouraged to submit original research articles, non-pharmacological intervention studies, reviews, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, case reports, perspectives, short communications as well as theoretical papers, opinions, and methods relevant to this article collection that will cover topics such as (but not limited to):
- association of dietary factors, physical activity, mental health status with sarcopenia prevalence in older adults
- epidemiology of sarcopenic obesity and other sarcopenia-related conditions
- new tools for sarcopenia diagnosis and discussion on sarcopenia diagnostic criteria
- development of novel non-pharmaceutical therapeutic strategies for sarcopenia management
Keywords: sarcopenia, muscle aging, older adult, geriatric syndrome, clinical management
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
