OP2026 Poster Presentations Original Research (32 abstracts)
Population-based study of functional ability and sarcopenia prevalence in Africa: Developing context appropriate thresholds (AFRO-SARC)
Camille Pearse 1 , Anthony Manyara 2 , Lisa Micklesfield 3 , Yoliswa Madela 4 , Ema De Lucia Rolfe 1 , Anya Burton 2 , Hannah Wilson 2 , Isatou Drammeh 5 , Lucy Gates 1 , Chris Grundy 6 , Bilkish Cassim 4 , Rashida Ferrand 7 , Celia Gregson 2 & Kate Ward 1
1Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom;2Global Health and Ageing Research Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom;3Univeristy of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa;4Department of Geriatrics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa;5MRC Unit The Gambia, Fajara, Gambia;6London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom;77Biomedical Research and Training Institute, Harare, Zimbabwe
Background: Global diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia have not been adequately validated in African populations. This is critical given genetic and environmental differences, including body composition, nutrition, and physical activity, that may affect diagnostic performance. We establish African-specific thresholds for physical function and sarcopenia (AFRO-SARC) and describe the prevalence of impaired function and sarcopenia across three African populations.
Methods: We recruited a population-based sample of adults aged ≥40 years, stratified by sex- and age-band in The Gambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, and measured grip strength (kgs), gait speed (metres/seconds), chair rise times (CRT)(seconds), short physical performance battery (SPPB) and (Washington group) disability. Using 40-49 years as reference, we derived harmonised African thresholds as two standard deviations below the mean (grip and gait) or 10th centile (CRT); interclass correlations assessed country-pooling feasibility. Low grip strength and slow gait speed defined sarcopenia.
Results: AFRO-SARC thresholds calculated in 5,274 adults (2811[53%] women) were: grip strength 28.0kg (men), 20.3kg (women); gait speed 0.50m/s (men), 0.47m/s (women), and CRT 18.5s (men), 21.5s (women). Impaired function prevalence was grip strength men: 11.4% (The Gambia), 10.4% (Zimbabwe), 20.7% (South Africa), women: 13.3% (The Gambia), 8.1% (Zimbabwe), 24.4% (South Africa); gait speed men: 5.2% (The Gambia), 6.1% (Zimbabwe) 5.9% (South Africa), women: 12.4% (The Gambia), 14.0% (Zimbabwe), 12.6% (South Africa); CRT men: 18.9% (The Gambia), 24.2% (Zimbabwe), women: 16.9% (The Gambia), 22.3% (Zimbabwe). Overall, sarcopenia prevalence was 2.3% in men and 3.7% women; highest in those ≥70years, affecting 7.3% men and 9.1% women. Of 144/4776 [3.0%] with sarcopenia, 137/142 [96.5%] had an SPPB≤8 (OR 92.1 [37.6-225.3]; P 0.01), and 70/143 [49.0%] were disabled (OR 3.7 [2.7-5.2]; P 0.01).
Conclusion: We provide the first harmonised African thresholds defining sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was associated with female sex, older age, poor physical performance and disability, supporting its validity. Grip strength and gait speed are measurable in resource-limited settings, enabling assessment.
Volume 8
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