Sarcopenia Independently Raises Hip Fracture Risk in Aging Adults: Study
A new study published in Scientific Reports has established that sarcopenia enhances middle-aged and older Chinese adults' risk of hip fractures. The study was conducted by Huang S. and colleagues. These results highlight the pressing need for early identification and intervention measures for sarcopenia to curb hip fracture risk and its long-term effects on the aging population.
The longitudinal study tracked a cohort of 7,775 Chinese subjects all aged 45 years and above for 9 years between the years 2011 and 2020. Sarcopenia was measured based on standard clinical diagnostic criteria that assessed muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical function. Hip fractures were ascertained based on self-reporting or proxy-reporting during follow-up interviews.
The investigators used both multivariable logistic regression and competing risk analysis to determine the association of sarcopenia with hip fracture incidence and controlled for various confounding variables such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, demographic factors, and habits. At baseline, 1,436 subjects (18.5%) presented with sarcopenia. Subjects were categorized into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups, and hip fracture incidence was compared across time.
Key Findings
Baseline prevalence: 1,436 of 7,775 participants (18.5%) were sarcopenic.
Incidence of hip fracture: 7.17% in the sarcopenia group compared with 3.75% in the non-sarcopenia group (P < 0.001).
Cumulative disparity: During the 9-year follow-up, the difference in incidence of fractures between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups became increasingly larger.
Adjusted risk: Controlling for several covariates, sarcopenia was independently associated with a 33% increased risk of hip fracture (adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.00–1.77, P = 0.0498).
Sarcopenia by itself adds to increased risk of hip fractures among Chinese adults above the age of 45 years, emphasizing the imperative of early detection and treatment. Due to the increasing population of geriatric cases and the increased rate of sarcopenia, these results emphasize the need to include screening for sarcopenia in public health policy and standard geriatric practice to prevent fracture-related comorbidities.
Reference:
Huang, S., Chang, L. & Cai, Z. Sarcopenia is associated with increased hip fracture risk among middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults in longitudinal analysis of CHARLS data. Sci Rep 15, 24598 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10341-2
