Prevalence of sarcopenia among aging employees in a higher education institution

Background: Sarcopenia, characterized by the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, poses significant public health challenges due to its impact on physical health and quality of life among aging populations. Despite the sedentary nature of academic and administrative work in higher education institutions, limited research has investigated sarcopenia in this workforce. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), India, and included 341 participants aged ≥ 45 years. Sarcopenia was assessed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria, which evaluate handgrip strength, physical performance, and skeletal muscle mass. Data on demographics, occupational roles, comorbidities, and physical activity levels were collected. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with sarcopenia. Results: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 31.3%, with an additional 7.6% classified as possible sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was more prevalent among men (62.26%) than women (37.74%). Multivariate analysis revealed that female gender (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.309–0.807, p = 0.005) and teaching professions (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.331–0.875, p = 0.012) were protective factors, while age, BMI, comorbidities, and physical activity levels were not significantly associated. Conclusions: This study highlights a substantial prevalence of sarcopenia among the aging workforce in higher education institutions. Interventions to promote physical activity and maintain muscle health are critical for reducing the burden of sarcopenia and enhancing productivity and quality of life in this population.