Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38281246›Full record

SynthesisAging clinical and experimental research2024

Prevalence of sarcopenia in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Nicola Veronese, Lee Smith, Ai Koyanagi, Jaco Hoffman, Mouna Snoussi, Konstantinos Prokopidis, Ligia J Dominguez, Mario Barbagallo

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Circulating biomarkers in older adults with and without sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Rural-urban differences in osteoporosis and sarcopenia prevalence among Gambian older adults: a pilot study.Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Epidemiology of sarcopenia: A narrative review.Osteoporosis and sarcopenia · 2025
    Review
  10. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nicola VeroneseDepartment of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics Section, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. nicola.veronese@unipa.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9328-289X
Lee SmithCentre for Health Performance and Wellbeing, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK.
Ai KoyanagiResearch and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
Jaco HoffmanOptentia Research Unit, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa.
Mouna SnoussiDepartment of Internal Medicine, Hedi Chaker Hospital, Medical School of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.
Konstantinos ProkopidisDepartment of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Ligia J DominguezFaculty of Medicine and Surgery, University Kore of Enna, 94100, Enna, Italy.
Mario BarbagalloDepartment of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics Section, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExisting literature suggests that sarcopenia is a highly prevalent condition in older people. However, most studies to date reporting data on its prevalence have been mainly carried out in Western countries, while data on sarcopenia in Africa is scarce. With this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia in African countries and to explore potential factors that could explain higher or lower prevalence of this condition in Africa.

methodsMajor databases for studies reporting data on sarcopenia in African countries were searched from inception to June 2023. We conducted a meta-analysis of the prevalence [and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)] of sarcopenia in Africa, applying a random effect model. Several sensitivity and meta-regression analyses were run.

resultsAmong 147 articles initially screened, six articles (with seven cohorts) including a total of 10,656 participants were included. Mean age of participants was 66.9 years, and the majority were female (58.1%). The weighted prevalence of sarcopenia in the selected countries of Africa was 25.72% (95%CI: 18.90-32.55). This outcome was characterized by a high heterogeneity (I

conclusionSarcopenia is a prevalent condition in Africa and thus research regarding this topic is a public health priority. Future studies that cover African countries for which data are not available and using standardized criteria are needed.

Indexed as

SarcopeniaAfricaAgedAnthropometryDatabases, FactualFemaleHumansMaleObservational Studies as TopicPrevalenceAfricaEpidemiologyPrevalenceSarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID38281246
PMCPMC10822818

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.