Research
Macro partitioning
Sarcopenic obesity, characterized by increased fat stores and decreased muscle mass, is a distinct and dangerous body composition status in the elderly that is often masked by net weight loss.
For older adults, weight loss can be dangerous if it involves muscle loss. Focus on maintaining muscle mass through resistance exercise and adequate protein intake, rather than just trying to lose weight, to avoid 'sarcopenic obesity'.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
The combination of increased fat stores and decreased muscle mass results in a body composition status described as 'sarcopenic obesity'. This means that obesity in the elderly can be masked by loss of muscle mass... resulting in net weight loss.
Why this rating
Based on the workshop's identification of this as a significant clinical problem.
Source
Engineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity: Opportunities for Novel Collaborations and Research
Abby G. Ershow et al. · Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology · 2007
DOI 10.1177/193229680700100115
narrative_reviewCited 21×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Obesity is fundamentally a disorder of energy balance where excess energy intake exceeds expenditure, driven by a feedback system derangement involving economic, hedonic, and behavioral overrides rather than simple thermodynamic inefficiency.Strong
- Current methods for measuring energy intake and expenditure are insufficiently accurate for widespread clinical or research use, creating a barrier to understanding and managing obesity.Good
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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