Association of Obesity, Sarcopenia, and Functional Mobility with Risk of Fall: A Cross-Sectional Study from Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA).

Background: Falls are considered one of the leading causes of accidental deaths and nonfatal accidental injuries in older adults. Previous research indicates a 1-in-5 yearly fall incidence among Iranian older adults. To examine specific risk factors within this population, our study aimed to evaluate fall risk factors such as obesity, sarcopenia, functional mobility, and activities of daily living (ADL) scores.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the first wave of the Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA), involving participants ˃50 years who lived in Ardakan, Iran. The primary outcome was fall history in the past 12 months. The main biomechanical variables included body mass index (BMI), muscle strength, gait speed, static balance, and mobility-assisting devices. Sarcopenia was assessed based on the ratio of hand grip strength to BMI. Multiple logistic regressions assessed associations by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval.

Results: The final analysis included 4983 participants, 994 of whom reported at least 1 fall. Participants had a mean age of 62.21 ± 4.47 years (50-86 years), with a 48% male distribution. The results of multivariable logistic regression indicated that obesity (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.70- 1.47]; P = 0.910), waist-to-hip ratio (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.74-1.40]; P = 0.903), hand grip strength (OR, 1.20 [95% CI, 0.87-1.66]; P = 0.255), and sarcopenia (OR, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.82- 1.51]; P = 0.474) did not have significant associations with falls. However, impaired standing balance test (OR: 1.64 [95% CI, 1.09-2.47]; P = 0.017) and dependency on ADL (OR, 1.94 [95% CI, 1.05-3.56]; P = 0.032) increased falling.

Conclusion: Impaired balance tests and dependency on ADL increase the risk of falls in older adults. However, obesity indicators, sarcopenia, and gait speed were not associated with the risk of falls.