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Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

1-14-2026

Abstract

Sarcopenia, characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, is a geriatric syndrome with a significantly increased incidence with age. It has become a major public health concern affecting the health of middle-aged and older adults. This study aims to investigate the associations between leisure-time physical activity (LPA), occupational physical activity (OPA), and transportation physical activity (TPA) with sarcopenia and all-cause mortality among older adults in the United States. Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018, with all-cause mortality tracked through the National Death Index (NDI) until April 16, 2022. Multivariable logistic regression, multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models, and Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival curves were used to analyze the association between metabolic equivalent of task (MET) and all-cause mortality in sarcopenic individuals. Additionally, random survival forest (RSF), Spearman correlation models, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to evaluate the prognostic value of LPA, OPA, and TPA. A total of 4,936 participants were included, of whom 676 were diagnosed with sarcopenia, with 98 all-cause deaths occurring among individuals. After adjusting for confounders, LPA (OR = 0.316, 95% CI: 0.224–0.444, p < 0.01), OPA (OR = 0.133, 95% CI: 0.090–0.196, p < 0.01), and TPA (OR = 0.542, 95% CI: 0.387–0.759, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia in healthy individuals. However, in sarcopenic individuals, higher levels of LPA in the fourth quartile (HR = 2.545, 95% CI: 1.072–6.043, p < 0.05) and TPA in the third quartile (HR = 3.330, 95% CI: 1.347–8.232, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. RCS models revealed a nonlinear relationship between LPA and TPA with all-cause mortality (p < 0.05). The RSF model further demonstrated that LPA, OPA, and TPA have prognostic value in predicting all-cause mortality among sarcopenic individuals. This study suggests that daily LPA (>2440 MET·min/week), OPA (>5040 MET·min/week), and TPA (>1460 MET·min/week)prevalence of sarcopenia in healthy individuals. However, in sarcopenic individuals, higher levels of physical activity, particularly LPA (1457–2440 MET·min/week) and TPA (693–1460 MET·min/week), were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18122/ijpah.5.1.26.boisestate

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