Association between Sarcopenic Obesity and Arterial Stiffness in Korean Adults

<b>Objectives</b>: This study examined the association between sarcopenic obesity and arterial stiffness using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). <b>Methods</b>: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 20,601 Korean adults from January 2016 to December 2023. Sarcopenia was defined as height-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass [(ASM/height²) <5.7 in women and <7.0 in men] using BIA. Obesity was defined by body mass index or waist circumference. Arterial stiffness was assessed by measuring brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). The participants were categorized into four groups: normal, sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity. The baPWV values were compared among the four groups to investigate the association between sarcopenic obesity and arterial stiffness using adjusted multivariate analyses. <b>Results</b>: The mean baPWV of the sarcopenic obesity group was higher (<i>p</i> < 0.001) than that of the other groups. The odds ratio for having high baPWV (>1800 cm/s) in the sarcopenic obesity group was 2.40 (95% CI, 1.07-5.38) after adjusting for age, sex, exercise, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. <b>Conclusions</b>: Sarcopenic obesity was independently associated with increased arterial stiffness.