Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40307534›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of behavioral medicine2026

Relationship Between Sarcopenia and the Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese Older Adults: The Mediating Effect of Social Participation.

Yixuan Liu, Wenjun Li, Ziqiang Chen, Minfu He, Wenjing Zhang, Yachen Wei, Yibing Chen, Ranran Li, Xinyu Gao, Hongjian Liu and 1 more

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Article in International journal of behavioral medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
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

11 authors.

Yixuan LiuDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Wenjun LiDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Ziqiang ChenDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Minfu HeDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Wenjing ZhangDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Yachen WeiDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Yibing ChenDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Ranran LiDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Xinyu GaoDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Hongjian LiuDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Xiumin ZhangDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Management, School of Public Health, Jilin University, Changchun, China. xiu_min@jlu.edu.cn.

Funding

Science and Technology Department of Jilin Province 20240701118FG
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study evaluated the relationship between sarcopenia and the trajectories of depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults and verified the mediating role of social participation.

methodThe sample included 1832 participants aged ≥ 60 years from five waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The optimal trajectory class of depressive symptoms was identified using the latent growth mixture model (LGMM). The association between sarcopenia and the trajectories of depressive symptoms was assessed by multinomial logistic regression. The potential mediating effect of social participation was evaluated through mediation analysis. Subgroup and interaction analyses were also carried out.

resultsThe results showed that the depressive symptom score trajectory of the sarcopenia group was higher than that of the normal group. The depressive symptoms of the general participants had three trajectories: "Anterior high level," "Posterior high level," and "Stable low level". Sarcopenia was related to the increased odds of adverse trajectory of depressive symptoms ("Anterior high level" trajectory) (adjusted OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.02-2.30). Social participation mediated 10.69% of the association between sarcopenia and adverse trajectory of depressive symptoms. Sex, education, marital status, chronic disease, self-rated health status, and self-rated standard of living were modifiable factors affecting the relationship of sarcopenia and adverse trajectory of depressive symptoms.

conclusionComprehensive measures including early screening and treatment for sarcopenia, the strengthening of social participation levels, and formulating targeted intervention strategies are recommended to alleviate depressive symptoms and enhance mental health.

Indexed as

DepressionSarcopeniaSocial ParticipationAgedAged, 80 and overChinaEast Asian PeopleFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedDepressive symptomsSarcopeniaSocial participationTrajectory

Identifiers

PMID40307534

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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.