Development and verification of the effectiveness of a sarcopenia prevention and improvement program focusing on depression

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16530
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Suzuka University of Medical Science (2019); Seijoh University (2015-2018)
• Principal Investigator: IMAI AIKO 鈴鹿医療科学大学, 保健衛生学部, 助教 (40610514)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 地域在住高齢者 / サルコペニア / 骨格筋量 / 抑うつ / 身体活動量

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To examine the relationship between sarcopenia and depression in community-dwelling elderly people, we conducted a cross-sectional study targeting such individuals. Our results revealed a significant negative relationship between depression and the skeletal muscle mass index, even after adjusting for confounding factors, suggesting that elderly persons in depressive states tend to have low skeletal muscle mass and are thus at high risk of sarcopenia. Through a longitudinal study, we confirmed a significant negative relationship between depressive symptoms at the baseline and sarcopenia two years later. Based on these findings, we formulated a sarcopenia prevention and improvement program and carried out a pilot study. The results revealed several areas in the program that required revision, such as taking continuity into consideration. We therefore created a revised program.

Free Research Field

健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

サルコペニアは，身体的な障害や生活の質の低下，死などの有害な転帰のリスクに関連した症候群であり，邦人高齢者の有症率は約20％とされる． サルコペニアへの予防，改善においては，可変性をもつ「身体活動」や「栄養」への介入が重要とされ，介入の有効性が証明されている．しかし一方で，「身体活動」「栄養」の状態は，抑うつによって悪化することが指摘されている．本研究は抑うつとサルコペニアとの関連，介入方法を検討することを目的としており，本研究結果は，サルコペニア予防に関する支援展開の充実，およびこれまでにない新しい視点からサルコペニア予防・改善方策が提案できる．