Changes in Sarcopenia and Incident Depression in Prospective Cohorts

Background: Previous studies have confirmed an association between sarcopenia and depression but were mostly based on single baseline assessments, ignoring dynamic changes in sarcopenia status. This study aimed to investigate the association between changes in sarcopenia status and incident depression risk. Methods: Data were sourced from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Sarcopenia status was classified as non-sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia, or sarcopenia according to AWGS 2019 criteria. Changes in status were defined by comparing assessments at baseline (2011) and two years later (2013). Depression was assessed using the CESD-10 (score ≥10). Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Participants who progressed from non-sarcopenia to possible sarcopenia or sarcopenia had a higher risk of depression than those who remained non-sarcopenic (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.14–1.47). Conversely, participants who recovered from sarcopenia had a lower risk of depression than those with persistently stable sarcopenia (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45–0.94). Conclusions: Changes in sarcopenia status are differentially associated with the risk of incident depression. The progression of sarcopenia status is associated with an increased risk of incident depression, whereas recovery from sarcopenia is linked to a reduced risk.