PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the potential clinically predictive indicators of the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass (ALSMM) in middle-aged women.
METHODS: The data from a cross-sectional study involving 2,066 community-dwelling female participants aged 40 to 49 years were analyzed. Complex sampling analyses were used to ensure a nationally representative analysis, incorporating the individual weights provided by KNHANES. This approach accounted for the stratified, clustered, and multistage probability sampling design of the survey. The participants were screened for ALSMM, and various potential predictive indicators were assessed, including age, height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass index, smoking and drinking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose levels, triglyceride levels, and cholesterol levels.
RESULTS: Significant potential predictive indicators for ALSMM included height, weight, body mass index, waist circumference, skeletal muscle mass index, and fasting glucose (p < .05). The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride levels triglyceride, and drinking and smoking status were found to be non-significant variables (p > .05).
CONCLUSION: The study identified the potential predictive indicators for ALSMM among communitydwelling middle-aged women. These findings enhance the current understanding of ALSMM and highlight the potential predictive indicators associated with its development in middle-aged women.