Low dietary energy intake is associated with sarcopenia in cancer survivors: An analysis based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011

Relationship Between Handgrip Strength and Metabolic Syndrome Among Middle-Aged and Elderly Cancer Survivors: A National Population Study

BACKGROUND

The number of middle-aged and elderly cancer survivors is rising. Metabolic syndrome, which has been established as an important risk factor for mortality and cardiovascular disease, has also been linked to quality of life in middle-aged and elderly cancer survivors. Recent studies documented a relationship between handgrip strength and metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between relative handgrip strength in middle-aged and elderly cancer survivors and metabolic syndrome in a national population-based sample from Korea.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional, secondary descriptive analysis of data from the sixth to seventh (2014-2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VI-VII). A final total of 1096 cancer survivors aged 45 years and older were selected.

RESULTS

Lower relative handgrip strength was linked to a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. For men, the adjusted odds ratio for having metabolic syndrome in individuals with a relative handgrip strength score of the 2 Quartile was 4.43 (95% confidence interval, 2.25-8.71) compared with the 4 Quartile (reference) ( P < .001), whereas for women, this was 3.67 (95% confidence interval, 2.06-6.53) ( P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower relative handgrip strength is correlated with components of metabolic syndrome and is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and elderly cancer survivors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Physicians and nurses need to identify and monitor the handgrip strength for managing the risk of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and elderly cancer survivors. Preventive and therapeutic programs that focus on handgrip strength should be developed to prevent metabolic syndrome during their rehabilitation.

Sarcopenic obesity and 10-year cardiovascular disease risk scores in cancer survivors and non-cancer participants using a nationwide survey

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the associations of combinations of sarcopenia and adiposity phenotypes with 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores in cancer survivors and non-cancer participants.

METHODS

In 19,019 individuals including 1023 cancer survivors free of CVD who were aged ≥30 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, combination groups of sarcopenia, obesity and abdominal obesity based on handgrip strength, BMI and waist circumference, respectively, were generated and 10-year CVD risk scores based on Framingham risk model were determined.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, health behaviours, dietary intake of nutrients and time since cancer diagnosis and current cancer therapy (in cancer survivors), cancer survivors with sarcopenic non-obesity, non-sarcopenic abdominal obesity or sarcopenic abdominal obesity had, respectively, 84%, 85% and 3.61-fold higher odds for ≥10% CVD risk scores compared with cancer survivors without those phenotypes. In non-cancer participants, sarcopenia, obesity, abdominal obesity and combinations of those phenotypes had higher odds from 1.37 (in those with obesity) to 4.24 (in those with sarcopenic abdominal obesity) for ≥10% CVD risk scores compared with reference phenotypes. In conclusion, cancer survivors and non-cancer participants with sarcopenia, obesity, abdominal obesity or combination of those phenotypes had increased 10-year CVD risk scores.