Avaliação do risco de sarcopenia em pessoas idosas participantes da Universidade Aberta à terceira idade - UFAL

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome characterized by the gradual and widespread loss of skeletal muscle mass, resulting in decreased muscle strength. Objective: This study aimed to assess the risk of sarcopenia in elderly individuals participating of the Open University for the Third Age of the Federal University of Alagoas. Methodology: It is characterized as an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional research with a quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 23 individuals, both men and women aged between 60 and 74 years. The instruments used for data collection were the Simple five-item questionnaire (SARC-F) and the Sit and Rise Test (SRT). Results: The SARC-F results indicated that out of the 23 participants, 60.9% (14) had a low risk of sarcopenia, while 39.1% (9) had an increased risk of sarcopenia. Regarding the SRT, 30.4% (7) had a low risk of sarcopenia, while 69.6% (16) had an increased risk of sarcopenia, with a test execution time exceeding 15 seconds. Conclusion: The study highlights the susceptibility of elderly individuals’ participants in this study to a significant risk of sarcopenia, especially among women and individuals aged between 65 and 69 years. The consolidation of these findings requires more comprehensive studies capable of confirming and expanding upon the findings of this study.