Introduction With the acceleration of the global ageing trend, sarcopenia has become a major public health problem. Probable sarcopenia, characterised primarily by decreased muscle strength, represents an early, potentially reversible stage.
However, epidemiological evidence on the prevalence and risk factors of probable sarcopenia in older populations remains limited, scattered, and methodologically inconsistent. Therefore, systematic reviews and meta-analyses are needed to synthesise current data, quantify global and regional prevalence, identify associated risk factors, and explore sources of heterogeneity.
Methods and analysis Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols 2020 and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodologies, this review will include observational studies that define probable sarcopenia according to recognised consensus criteria (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 and Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2). Comprehensive searches of eleven English and Chinese databases (Web of Science, PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CENTRAL, CINAHL, CBM, CNKI, WANFANG, and VIP) will be conducted from inception to January 2026.
Two reviewers will independently screen, extract, and appraise studies using JBI tools.
BMJ Open published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 09 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on Global prevalence and risk factors of probable sarcopenia in older adults: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.
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