King's College London

Background

Sarcopenia, characterised by an accelerated loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is associated with negative outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with skeletal muscle strength, mass, and sarcopenia, particularly protein intake; and to assess whether shared twin characteristics are important.

Methods

This study utilised cross-sectional data from a study of community dwelling twins aged ≥60 years. Multivariable logistic regression and between- and within- twin pair regression modelling was used.

Results

Participants (n=3302) were 89% female (n=2923), were aged a mean of 72.1 (±7.3) years and comprised of 858 (55%) monozygotic, 709 (45%) dizygotic twin pairs and 168 individual lone twins. Using optimal protein intake as the reference group (1.0-1.3g/kg/day), there was no significant association between protein intake (neither high nor low) and low muscle strength, or between low protein intake and sarcopenia (OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.39-1.25; p=0.229) in unadjusted models. High protein intake (>1,3g/kg/day) was associated with low muscle mass (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.39-2.2.4; P
Conclusions

High protein intake is associated with sarcopenia in a cohort of healthy older twins