# Evaluation of Trunk Muscle Mass in Older Adults Using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis: A Scoping Review

## TL;DR

This review explores how bioelectrical impedance analysis can assess trunk muscle mass in older adults and its link to physical function and daily activities.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive overview of BIA devices and their use in evaluating trunk muscle mass in older populations.

## Key findings

- BIA is a potential alternative to CT and MRI for measuring trunk muscle mass in older adults.
- Most studies used a multi-frequency BIA model and focused on community-dwelling older adults and stroke patients.
- The relationship between trunk muscle mass and clinical outcomes remains unclear and requires further research.

## Abstract

Trunk muscle mass decreases with age; this decrease is reported to be related to physical function and activities of daily living. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) may be used to effectively evaluate trunk muscle mass as an alternative to conventional measurement methods such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. This scoping review aimed to comprehensively examine existing knowledge on types and frequency of BIA devices and the relationship between trunk muscle mass and clinical outcomes.

We systematically reviewed studies involving older adults aged ≥65 years. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases; observational studies (cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional) published between January 2000 and October 2023 were reviewed. Three independent reviewers summarized the BIA device model, BIA frequency, study design, study objectives, and outcomes.

In total, 7 of 744 identified studies were reviewed. Most participants included in this review were community-dwelling older adults and older patients with stroke. The main research design was a prospective or retrospective cohort study. In addition, a multi-frequency model was used for the BIA device. Common clinical outcome indicators were physical function (swallowing) and activities of daily living.

The findings of this review suggest that BIA is an effective method for evaluating trunk muscle mass in older adults. However, the causal relationship between trunk muscle mass and clinical outcomes is unclear, necessitating the accumulation of more data from additional clinical studies.