Sarcopenia is on the way to becoming an epidemic in Europe, according to the results of a study presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases.
Sarcopenia is a disease associated with the aging process. Signs of this disease are loss of bone mass and muscle strength. As a result, balance and gait disorders as well as a loss of independence with eventually increasing difficulty in performing tasks of daily living. Due to its complexity, there are several ways to diagnose it.
Researchers from the University of Liège, Belgium used Eurostat’s online database. They retrieved age and gender-specific population projections for 2016 to 2045 across 28 European countries.
Steps to healthy aging
The researchers’ findings are alarming and reveal that sarcopenia is on its way to becoming a public health problem and becoming an epidemic.
Indeed, according to the lowest prevalence estimates, the number of people with sarcopenia in Europe in 2016 will exceed 10 million (10,869,527). In 2045, this figure would increase by 72.4% to 18,735,173
According to the highest prevalence estimates, the number of people affected by this pathology in Europe in 2016 would reach almost 20 million. In 2045, more than 32 million individuals will suffer from this disease of old age, a jump of 63.8%.
“Whatever the diagnostic mode to define sarcopenia, its prevalence is increasing in Europe. It is therefore essential to implement prevention strategies and effective management of this disease. Health authorities must take action to help Europeans age in good health,” concluded Dr. Olivier Ethgen, author of the study.
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