New research has discovered that genes linked with a longer life are less active in the muscles of older men who are overweight or living with obesity.
With 81 percent of people aged 65-74 in the UK now overweight or obese, these findings have important implications for public health.
Obesity and Muscle Health in Older Age
Researchers from the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton, supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, investigated the effect of obesity on muscle health in older age.
The team took thigh muscle samples from 40 older men, averaging 73 years old, all participants in the Hertfordshire Sarcopenia Study.
The men’s BMI was used to determine if they were of healthy weight, overweight, or obese. They also underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans to measure their body composition.
Gene Activity Altered in Obesity
Using a variety of lab techniques, the researchers assessed the activity of key genes within the muscle samples.
They found that genes associated with a longer life expectancy were less active in the muscles of men who were overweight or obese compared to those of a healthy weight.
Additionally, genes that help muscles use energy effectively were less active, while genes linked to inflammation were more active.
“Our research has shown fundamental differences in the genetic regulation of older men’s muscles who are living with obesity,” says Professor Karen Lillycrop, Professor of Epigenetics at the University of Southampton.
“We found many genes associated with a long life are ‘switched off’ and no longer active. This suggests obesity may accelerate the aging process in men’s muscles, and could contribute to the development of sarcopenia.”
The Impact on Aging and Sarcopenia
As we age, almost everyone experiences muscle loss, with lifestyle influencing the rate at which it occurs.
Severe loss of muscle strength and mass, known as sarcopenia, is a common cause of frailty, fractures, and falls in older adults.
Understanding the factors that influence muscle loss, such as obesity, could help identify new ways to prevent and treat sarcopenia.
The research, published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, emphasizes the benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and suggests new strategies for supporting healthy aging.
“Low muscle mass and strength are important contributors to poor health in people living with obesity.
Measures to support muscle health can make an important contribution to retaining people in the workforce and to them having greater independence in older age,” says Professor Keith Godfrey, who leads the NIHR nutrition research in Southampton.
Dr. Harnish Patel, Principal Investigator of the Hertfordshire Sarcopenia Study, added, “The study findings underscore the importance of having a balanced diet and an active lifestyle throughout life to mitigate adverse effects obesity might have on muscle health.”
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The study was published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.
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