This study aims to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia risk and associated factors in a community-dwelling elderly population in a district of Izmir province of Turkey. This cross-sectional study used a cluster sampling method to define sarcopenia risk and associated factors in population aged 65-79 years in Balcova district and a total of 254 participants (114 males, 140 females; mean age 70.0 years; range 65 to 79 years) were included between October 2014 and December 2014. The dependent variables were low gait speed (LGS), low grip strength (LGrS), having both LGS and LGrS, sarcopenia risk according to the European Group on Sarcopenia for Older People (EWGSOP) algorithm. The independent variables were socio-demographic and socio-economic variables, health-related behavioral factors, and health status variables. The gait speed was measured on a four-meter length with a stopwatch. The grip strength was measured using a hand-held dynamometer. The logistic regression models were used to identify associated risk factors for sarcopenia. The prevalence of LGS was found to be 45.0%, LGrS to be 49.8%, having both LGS and LGrS to be 30.1%, and sarcopenia risk according to EWGSOP to be 64.8%. The main associated factors of having any sarcopenia risk were increasing age and having a sedentary lifestyle or being underactive. Our study results show that sarcopenia risk is high in a community-dwelling elderly population living in Balcova district of Izmir province of Turkey. Physical activity levels of elderly should be increased to decrease this high burden.

Background: We aimed to investigate the magnitude of occupational class (OC) and educational level (EL) inequalities in cardiovascular risk factors in Turkey from 2008 to 2016 and compare these inequalities with neighbouring European countries. Methods: We used the Turkey Health Survey among a representative sample of the Turkish population. We estimated relative index of inequality (RII) for four cardiovascular risk factors (obesity/overweight, hypertension, diabetes, smoking) by OC/EL with an interaction term for survey year and compared selected results with neighbouring countries. Results: Men with lower OC and EL smoked more (e.g. RII for EL = 1.40 [1.26–1.55]); however, the remaining risk factors were mostly lower in these groups. Women in lower socio-economic groups smoked less (e.g. RII for EL = 0.36 [0.29–0.44]), however, had higher prevalence of the remaining risk factors. Significant interactions with survey year were only found in a few cases. The pattern of inequalities in Turkey is largely similar to neighbouring countries. Conclusions: Inequalities in cardiovascular risk factors are less systematic in Turkey than in most high-income countries, but ongoing trends suggest that this may change in the future.

Turkthoracj, Turkish Thoracic Journal