Open letter to my retired, still active colleagues and administrative personnel of both genders.
I am sure that you noticed as I did, that our body changed, primarily in loss of skeletal muscles, as we aged. This factual phenomenon was first described by Dr. I. Rosenberg in 1997. She provided a fitting name for it as sarcopenia. Sarco, from Greek, denotes flesh (muscle) and penia indicates deficiency.
Thus sarcopenia translates as deficiency of muscle and this term is used now to refer specifically to the gradual loss of skeletal muscle and strength that occurs with advancing age and simultaneous increase in body fat.
Sarcopenia has been associated with increased frailty, falls, broken bones, morbidity and increased mortality in the elderly.
The onset of sarcopenia is appearing as early as the fourth decade and is also commonly associated with disuse, meaning decreased participation in physical activity as age advances.
Muscle loss occurs in people of all fitness levels, even master athletes, as they age. However, people who have less muscle mass to begin with will pay a higher price as they grow older. Women in particular face increased risk from loss of muscle mass because they have about one-third less of the entire body muscle mass compared to men.
As a person’s muscle mass decreases, muscle strength decreases and concomitant loss of physical function follows. As a consequence, the ability to do everyday activities, such as grocery shopping, housework, climbing stairs or taking brief walks declines.
Recent estimates indicate that approximately 45 percent of the older U.S. population is sarcopenic and that approximately 20 percent of the older U.S. population is functionally disabled. In older persons, physical disability is associated with an increased risk of nursing home placement, home health care and hospital use, as well as health care expenditures.
Because the number of older Americans is increasing, the economic costs of sarcopenia will escalate unless effective public health campaigns aimed at reducing the occurrence of sarcopenia are implemented.
Just to provide clear understanding of the estimated direct health care costs attributable to sarcopenia in the U.S. Herewith, the number of dollars are provided. In 2000, the cost was $18.5 billion ($10.8 billion in men, $7.7 billion in women, which represents about 1.5 percent of total expenditure for that year.).
On the individual level, $860 is spent for every sarcopenic man and $933 for every sarcopenic woman. A 10 percent reduction in sarcopenia prevalence could result in savings of $1.1 billion (dollars adjusted to 2000 rate) per year in U.S. health care costs.
While sarcopenia cannot be halted completely, it can be slowed down in its onset and therefore making it possible to remain active into one’s 80s. I can vouch for it.
That goal could be accomplished by starting with low intensity walking outside, weather permitting, or inside at SMU’s Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports. For inactive people, a low-level program could begin with walking at a comfortable pace for 15 to 20 minutes three to four times per week. Beneficial results will be felt after two weeks already.
So, find a partner, have enjoyable discussions while walking. Psychological support will keep you on track to sustain your physical activity and for improvement your overall well-being.
Ladislaw P. Novak is professor Emeritus of Anthropology. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].
