Table 1.

Sociodemographic Characteristics and their Association with Sarcopenia.

Participants (N=100) No Sarcopenia (n=70) Sarcopenia (n=30) Severe Sarcopenia* (n=17) P-Value#
Age group (years), n (%)
 65–69 (n=68) 49 (72.1) 19 (27.9) 10 (14.7) 0.45
 70–75 (n=24) 16 (66.7) 8 (33.3) 5 (20.8)
 >75 (n=8) 5 (62.5) 3 (37.5) 2 (25.0)

Sex, n (%)
 Male (n=52) 31 (59.6) 21 (40.4) 11 (21.2) 0.10
 Female (n=48) 39 (81.3) 9 (18.8) 6 (12.5)

Residence, n (%)
 Urban (n=60) 41 (68.3) 19 (31.7) 11 (18.3) 0.66
 Rural (n=40) 29 (72.5) 11 (27.5) 6 (15.0)

Education level, n (%)
 <High school (n=58) 38 (65.5) 20 (34.5) 9 (15.5) 0.28
 ≥High school (n=42) 32 (76.2) 10 (23.8) 8 (19.0)

Co-habitation, n (%)
 Living with spouse (n=78) 57 (73.1) 21 (26.9) 14 (18.0) 0.29
 Living alone (n=22) 13 (59.1) 9 (40.9) 3 (13.6)

GDS-5 SCORE, n (%)
 ≥2 (n=57) 42 (73.7) 15 (26.3) 9 (15.8) 0.38
 <2 (n=43) 28 (65.1) 15 (34.9) 8 (18.6)

Medical comorbidities, n (%)
 Hypertension (n=62) 47 (75.8) 15 (24.2) 7 (11.3) 0.11
 No hypertension (n=38) 23 (60.5) 15 (39.5) 10 (26.3)

 CAD (n=19) 11 (57.9) 8 (42.1) 5 (26.3) 0.26
 No CAD (n=81) 59 (72.8) 22 (27.2) 12 (14.8)

 Hypothyroidism (n=12) 9 (75.0) 3 (25.0) 2 (16.7) 0.69
 No hypothyroidism (n=88) 61 (69.3) 27 (30.7) 15 (17.1)

Polypharmacy, n (%)
 <5 types/day (n=53) 36 (67.9) 17 (32.1) 9 (17.0) 0.63
 ≥5 types/day (n=47) 34 (72.3) 13 (27.7) 8 (17.0)

Personal habits, n (%)

 Smoker (n=18) 10 (55.6) 8 (44.4) 6 (33.3) 0.58
 Non-smoker (n=82) 60 (73.2) 22 (26.8) 11 (13.4)

 Drinks alcohol (n=33) 25 (75.8) 8 (24.2) 6 (18.2) 0.48
 Abstains from alcohol (n=67) 45 (67.2) 22 (32.8) 11 (16.4)

 Tobacco user (n=9) 5 (55.6) 4 (44.4) 2 (22.2) 0.45
 No tobacco use (n=91) 65 (71.4) 26 (28.6) 9 (9.9)
* Severe sarcopenia is a subset of sarcopenia, defined as individuals fulfilling all three criteria (low muscle strength, low muscle mass, and low physical performance).
# P-values represent comparisons between non-sarcopenic and all sarcopenic participants (including both non-severe and severe).

CAD, coronary artery disease; GDS-5, 5-item Geriatric Depression Scale.

RMMJ Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal Rambam Health Care Campus 2025; 16(4): e0019. ISSN: 2076-9172
Published online 2025 October 31. doi: 10.5041/RMMJ.10554