Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018
Abstract Sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by declining muscle mass and function, is associated with various adverse health outcomes. While body mass index (BMI) is a fundamental health indicator, its relationship with sarcopenia is complex and remains inadequately explored. Low BMI has been link...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87176-4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832585724746006528 |
|---|---|
| author | Rong-Zhen Xie Xu-Song Li Fang-Di Zha Guo-Qing Li Wei-Qiang Zhao Yu-Feng Liang Jie-Feng Huang |
| author_facet | Rong-Zhen Xie Xu-Song Li Fang-Di Zha Guo-Qing Li Wei-Qiang Zhao Yu-Feng Liang Jie-Feng Huang |
| author_sort | Rong-Zhen Xie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by declining muscle mass and function, is associated with various adverse health outcomes. While body mass index (BMI) is a fundamental health indicator, its relationship with sarcopenia is complex and remains inadequately explored. Low BMI has been linked to muscle loss, but the role of other demographic and clinical factors in this relationship is unclear. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the NHANES 2011–2018 cohort, including 7,455 adults aged ≥ 20 years. Low muscle mass was diagnosed based on appendicular skeletal muscle mass using DXA criteria. BMI was categorized into quartiles for analysis. Weighted multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between BMI and low muscle mass, adjusting for confounders such as age, gender, ethnicity, income-to-poverty ratio, and chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes and hypertension). Variance inflation factors (VIF) confirmed the absence of multicollinearity. Lower BMI was significantly associated with higher odds of low muscle mass (adjusted OR: 0.508, 95% CI: 0.483–0.533, p < 0.001), while higher BMI exhibited a protective effect. Age (OR: 1.035, 95% CI: 1.025–1.045, p < 0.001) and female gender (OR: 1.570, 95% CI: 1.267–1.949, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors. Racial disparities were noted, with non-Hispanic Black individuals at lower risk compared to non-Hispanic Whites (OR: 0.242, 95% CI: 0.152–0.384, p < 0.001). Other significant factors included diabetes and alcohol consumption, while education and smoking status were not significantly associated. BMI is inversely associated with low muscle mass prevalence, with lower BMI posing a higher odds. The findings underscore the clinical importance of monitoring BMI and addressing multifactorial risk profiles for low muscle mass management and prevention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-915c61c7d38944cdb11b13fce0c48cc4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-915c61c7d38944cdb11b13fce0c48cc42025-01-26T12:33:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-87176-4Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018Rong-Zhen Xie0Xu-Song Li1Fang-Di Zha2Guo-Qing Li3Wei-Qiang Zhao4Yu-Feng Liang5Jie-Feng Huang6Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Zhongshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese MedicineWenzhou Medical UniversityZhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityDepartment of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityAbstract Sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by declining muscle mass and function, is associated with various adverse health outcomes. While body mass index (BMI) is a fundamental health indicator, its relationship with sarcopenia is complex and remains inadequately explored. Low BMI has been linked to muscle loss, but the role of other demographic and clinical factors in this relationship is unclear. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the NHANES 2011–2018 cohort, including 7,455 adults aged ≥ 20 years. Low muscle mass was diagnosed based on appendicular skeletal muscle mass using DXA criteria. BMI was categorized into quartiles for analysis. Weighted multivariable logistic regression assessed associations between BMI and low muscle mass, adjusting for confounders such as age, gender, ethnicity, income-to-poverty ratio, and chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes and hypertension). Variance inflation factors (VIF) confirmed the absence of multicollinearity. Lower BMI was significantly associated with higher odds of low muscle mass (adjusted OR: 0.508, 95% CI: 0.483–0.533, p < 0.001), while higher BMI exhibited a protective effect. Age (OR: 1.035, 95% CI: 1.025–1.045, p < 0.001) and female gender (OR: 1.570, 95% CI: 1.267–1.949, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors. Racial disparities were noted, with non-Hispanic Black individuals at lower risk compared to non-Hispanic Whites (OR: 0.242, 95% CI: 0.152–0.384, p < 0.001). Other significant factors included diabetes and alcohol consumption, while education and smoking status were not significantly associated. BMI is inversely associated with low muscle mass prevalence, with lower BMI posing a higher odds. The findings underscore the clinical importance of monitoring BMI and addressing multifactorial risk profiles for low muscle mass management and prevention.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87176-4Muscle lossDiabetesAgingObesity paradoxBody status |
| spellingShingle | Rong-Zhen Xie Xu-Song Li Fang-Di Zha Guo-Qing Li Wei-Qiang Zhao Yu-Feng Liang Jie-Feng Huang Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 Scientific Reports Muscle loss Diabetes Aging Obesity paradox Body status |
| title | Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 |
| title_full | Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 |
| title_fullStr | Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 |
| title_short | Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Low Skeletal Muscle Mass in Adults Based on NHANES 2011–2018 |
| title_sort | relationship between body mass index and low skeletal muscle mass in adults based on nhanes 2011 2018 |
| topic | Muscle loss Diabetes Aging Obesity paradox Body status |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-87176-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rongzhenxie relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT xusongli relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT fangdizha relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT guoqingli relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT weiqiangzhao relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT yufengliang relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 AT jiefenghuang relationshipbetweenbodymassindexandlowskeletalmusclemassinadultsbasedonnhanes20112018 |