Prevalence of Sarcopenia and Its Association with Nutrition Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Subjective Cognitive Impairment or Living in Retirement Homes

Background: Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by declines in muscle strength and muscle mass associated with adverse health outcomes in older adults. Nutrition risk may contribute to sarcopenia development; however, its relationship with sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults, especially those living in retirement homes or with subjective cognitive impairment, remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and its indicators using the EWGSOP2 criteria in community-dwelling older adults with cognitive impairment and those living in retirement homes and examine associations between nutrition risk and probable sarcopenia. Methods: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from 326 adults aged ≥55 years was conducted. Sarcopenia was assessed using the EWGSOP2 Find–Assess–Confirm–Severity framework and nutrition risk was measured using SCREEN-14 and the Nutrition Risk Rating Score (NRRS). Results: Overall, 37.0% of participants were at risk for sarcopenia, and 26.9%, 5.5%, and 4.3% were classified with probable, confirmed, and severe sarcopenia, respectively. Retirement home residents were more likely to meet criteria for sarcopenia risk, low grip strength, and slow gait speed (all p < 0.001) than those with subjective cognitive impairment living in the community. In adjusted analyses, walker use and higher NRRS were associated with probable sarcopenia, whereas SCREEN-14 scores were not. Conclusions: These findings suggest that sarcopenia risk is common in these populations but confirmed sarcopenia is low using the EWGSOP2 framework. Nutrition risk as assessed by a dietitian using a comprehensive assessment is associated with probable sarcopenia.