BMC Geriatrics · 7 authors, 3 centres
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This prospective cohort study found that a higher waist-calf circumference ratio (WCR) was significantly associated with an increased risk of frailty in older adults over a 4-year period, with WCR showing a stronger association than waist or calf circumference alone.
Cox proportional hazards models and generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine associations. During follow-up, 668 (28.2%) participants developed frailty. Individuals in the highest quintile of WCR had a significantly increased risk of frailty (HR=1.59, 95% CI 1.24–2.04), and this association was stronger in females (P-interaction=0.016). Higher WC was also a risk factor, while higher CC was protective. WCR demonstrated the strongest association with frailty among the measures studied. Limitations include the study's restriction to older adults from China, potential recall bias from self-reported data, and a follow-up limited to four years. The findings suggest WCR, which reflects the balance between central adiposity and muscle mass, may be a useful, low-cost indicator for identifying frailty risk in older adults.
