ABSTRACT
Sarcopenia is a major health concern for older adults, and to help understand the mechanisms underlying age-related muscle loss, it is important to consider other contributing factors such as behavioral modifications and chronic disease. Aging is also associated with increased risk of co-morbid diseases and increase sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, this chapter discusses a number of diseases and behavioral conditions that can theoretically accelerate the progression of sarcopenia emphasizing that these factors should be independently recognized for their role in sarcopenia. Evidence is provided that sarcopenia is more than muscle atrophy attributable to the effects of chronological aging and instead is a condition accelerated by unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and comorbid conditions including cancer, chronic inflammatory and immune diseases, hypoxia-related diseases, chronic kidney disease, liver failure, diabetes mellitus type 2, and neurodegenerative conditions are identified as conditions that exacerbate the progression of sarcopenia. Further, this chapter highlights specific areas where future research is necessary to enhance the understanding of the interactions between age and factors that may accelerate sarcopenia.
