Unseen and untreated: implementing sarcopenic obesity care in Nordic general practice

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Metabolic Health
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is characterized by low muscle mass and excess adiposity.
• SO is under-researched and under-recognized in Nordic primary care settings.
• Current primary care often relies on BMI-driven approaches, neglecting muscle health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore integrating sarcopenic obesity screening and treatment into primary care.
• To address the need for age- and muscle-informed approaches in obesity management.
• To highlight the gap between research and clinical practice for SO.

Main Methods:

• Discussing pragmatic diagnostic pathways for SO in primary care.
• Proposing a case-finding approach combining functional tests, nutritional assessment, and anthropometrics.
• Emphasizing the need for clinician education and cross-sector collaboration.

Main Results:

• Limited prevalence data and inconsistent diagnostic criteria hinder SO detection in Nordic primary care.
• Current obesity strategies often overlook muscle health, creating a clinical blind spot for older adults.
• Existing guidelines lack age-specific recommendations for SO, leading to suboptimal care.

Conclusions:

• Nordic primary care is a key setting for SO case finding within preventive frameworks.
• Pragmatic, resource-light diagnostic pathways can facilitate SO identification.
• Bridging the research-practice gap is essential for improving outcomes in older adults with SO.