SynthesisJournal of global health2026
Habitual physical activity and sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
Synthesis in Journal of global health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Comment on: "Long Sleep Duration and Sarcopenia According to Physical Activity Level in Community-Dwelling Older Adults".Geriatrics & gerontology international · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Habitual physical activity (HPA) has been associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia by enhancing skeletal muscle protein synthesis and suppressing systemic inflammation. However, the evidence for a long-term protective association remains inconclusive. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the association between HPA and sarcopenia. Methods: We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure for prospective cohort studies on the relationship between physical activity (PA) and sarcopenia. We selected English and Chinese-language literature published before 6 October 2025, and assessed study quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were statistically synthesised by calculating pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects model with the generic inverse-variance method. Results: This meta-analysis included nine prospective cohort studies involving 21 265 participants. High levels of HPA were associated with a significantly lower risk of sarcopenia compared to the low levels (RR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.44-0.67). This protective association remained consistent in subgroup analyses stratified by gender and by compliance with international PA guidelines. Furthermore, moderate HPA was also associated with a reduced risk compared to low HPA levels (RR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.50-0.96). Conclusions: Our analysis indicates that moderate to high levels of HPA are independently associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia, serving as a significant protective factor. However, given the methodological heterogeneity in PA measurement, further high-quality prospective studies are needed to clarify the optimal PA dose while accounting for potential reverse causality. Registration: PROSPERO: CRD420251162529.
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Registered trials
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