Serum calcium levels and the risk of sarcopenia in young adults: insights from NHANES 2011-2018.

IF 4 2区农林科学 Q2 NUTRITION & DIETETICS

Frontiers in Nutrition Pub Date : 2025-03-14 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.3389/fnut.2025.1526879

Junliang Jiang, Ge Chen, Yonggang Li, Qinggang Zhao, Zhong Chen

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia, the accelerated loss of muscle mass and function, is commonly associated with aging, especially in older adults. While low serum calcium has been linked to muscle loss in individuals over 50, its relationship with sarcopenia in younger adults (20-60 years) is unclear. This study examines this association using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2018.

Methods: This population-based, cross-sectional study analyzed participants aged 20-60 from NHANES 2011-2018. Individuals with missing data were excluded. Sarcopenia was assessed using appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, defined by ASM/BMI or ASM/Weight. Multiple logistic regression and stratified analyses were used to explore the correlation between serum calcium levels and sarcopenia prevalence.

Results: Among 7,309 adults, 578 (7.91%) had sarcopenia by ASM/BMI and 1,363 (18.65%) by ASM/Weight. Higher serum calcium levels were significantly associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia (ASM/BMI: OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02-0.20; ASM/Weight: OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.04-0.19). The trend was consistent across age, gender, education, poverty income ratio, and race, with some exceptions.

Conclusion: This study highlights a negative association between serum calcium and sarcopenia risk in young and middle-aged adults, suggesting that calcium interventions could be beneficial in preventing sarcopenia in this population. However, the cross-sectional design precludes any inference of causality, and further longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

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来源期刊

Frontiers in Nutrition Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Food Science

CiteScore

5.20

自引率

8.00%

发文量

2891

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： No subject pertains more to human life than nutrition. The aim of Frontiers in Nutrition is to integrate major scientific disciplines in this vast field in order to address the most relevant and pertinent questions and developments. Our ambition is to create an integrated podium based on original research, clinical trials, and contemporary reviews to build a reputable knowledge forum in the domains of human health, dietary behaviors, agronomy & 21st century food science. Through the recognized open-access Frontiers platform we welcome manuscripts to our dedicated sections relating to different areas in the field of nutrition with a focus on human health. Specialty sections in Frontiers in Nutrition include, for example, Clinical Nutrition, Nutrition & Sustainable Diets, Nutrition and Food Science Technology, Nutrition Methodology, Sport & Exercise Nutrition, Food Chemistry, and Nutritional Immunology. Based on the publication of rigorous scientific research, we thrive to achieve a visible impact on the global nutrition agenda addressing the grand challenges of our time, including obesity, malnutrition, hunger, food waste, sustainability and consumer health.