ABSTRACT
As obesity increases in the population, the amount of dieting also increases. Most dieting strategies lead to combined loss of fat and muscle. The weight that is regained is mostly fat. Loss of muscle becomes sarcopenia and when it is accompanied by obesity it is more difficult to treat. This chapter presents methods for early detection of sarcopenia and treatment strategies for preserving muscle during weight loss. Sarcopenia is the term for age-associated loss of muscle mass and function. The loss of muscle function associated with sarcopenia is often referred to as dynapenia. A loss or reduction in skeletal muscle function often leads to increased morbidity and mortality either directly, or indirectly, via the development of secondary diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of sarcopenic obesity is estimated to be 18% in women and 43% in men and is predicted to increase with increasing age.
