Relationship between low muscle mass and anemia in Korean elderly men: Using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV–V)

Background/purposeLow muscle mass and anemia are important health problems. According to previous research, there may be an association between low muscle mass and anemia. However, the relationship between low muscle mass and anemia in the elderly is not fully understood. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the relationship between low muscle mass and anemia in Korean men, ≥ 65 years of age.MethodsThe present study included 1464 men aged ≥ 65 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2008–2011). A whole body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan was performed on all participants. Low muscle mass is defined as having an appendicular skeletal mass divided by the height squared (kg/m2), and more than two standard deviations less than the gender-specific mean value of the young reference group. Anemia is defined as hemoglobin levels under 13 g/dL.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 71.66 years. In our study, the cut-off value of low muscle mass, according to the definition, was 6.07 kg/m2. The prevalence of low muscle mass in Korean elderly men was 8.3%. The prevalence of anemia was 9.6% in the normal group and 27.3% in the low muscle mass group (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, body mass index, chronic disease status, energy intake, iron intake and lifestyle factors, the odds ratio for low muscle mass was 2.83 (95% confidence interval = 1.41–5.66).ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that low muscle mass, determined through DXA, is related to anemia in Korean elderly men aged ≥ 65 years.