How common is muscle loss (sarcopenia) in adults with obesity?
Investigating the Prevalence and Risk Factors for Sarcopenia Amongst Adults Seeking Treatment for Obesity
This project will test how common muscle loss (sarcopenia) is in adults with obesity attending a specialist clinic and whether factors like ethnicity raise the risk.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Ages | 21 Years to 100 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Singapore General Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Singapore) |
| Trial ID | NCT07541677 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is an observational study of 300 adults with obesity seen at a specialist Obesity Center in Singapore. Participants must have a BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m2, be able to consent, and complete physical function tests including handgrip strength and chair-stand tests, while people who are pregnant, have had bariatric surgery, or are taking obesity medications are excluded. Researchers will use accepted diagnostic criteria to estimate sarcopenia prevalence and examine risk factors such as age, body composition, and ethnicity, with a specific hypothesis of higher prevalence among Asian participants. Findings aim to clarify how often sarcopenia co-occurs with obesity and to inform strategies to preserve muscle during weight management.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults with BMI ≥ 27.5 kg/m2 who can provide informed consent and complete handgrip and chair-stand tests, who are not pregnant, have not had bariatric surgery, and are not taking obesity medications.
Not a fit: People who are pregnant, have a history of bariatric surgery, are taking obesity medications, or cannot complete the required physical function tests would not be eligible and would not benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help clinicians identify patients at risk for muscle loss during obesity treatment and guide approaches to protect muscle while losing weight.
How similar studies have performed: A small number of prior studies using strict diagnostic criteria have reported sarcopenia prevalence of roughly 4–13% in people with obesity, so this area has some supporting data but remains underexplored.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * body mass index ≥ 27.5kg/m2 * able to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * unable to undergo the physical function tests (handgrip strength testing and chair-stand tests) * pregnant women * history of bariatric procedures or surgeries * on medications for treatment of obesity (glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists, phentermine, naltrexone-bupropion, orlistat)
Where this trial is running
Singapore
- Singapore General Hospital — Singapore, Singapore (Recruiting)
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.