Sarcopenia and Its Associated Factors among Urban Sedentary Adults in Jakarta: Evidence from a Large Multidistrict Dataset

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia is a major public health concern in aging populations, particularly in urban sedentary settings, where physical inactivity and metabolic disorders contribute to muscle decline. Objective: To identify factors associated with muscle strength and muscle mass and to develop a simplified scoring system for sarcopenia in urban sedentary pre-elderly and elderly populations. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the PRIMBON 2025 database in Jakarta. A total of 425 participants were analyzed. Sarcopenia components were assessed using AWGS criteria. Results: Male sex (OR=1.897; p=0.008), depression (OR=1.739; p=0.012), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR=4.923; p<0.001) were independently associated with higher odds of low muscle strength, whereas central obesity was independently associated with lower odds of low muscle strength (OR=0.519; p=0.011). Older age was strongly associated with low muscle mass (OR=2.850; p<0.001), while hypertension, obesity, and central obesity demonstrated inverse associations. ROC analysis showed moderate discrimination for muscle strength (AUC=0.690; CI=0.639–0.741) and excellent discrimination for muscle mass (AUC=0.879; 95%CI= 0.845–0.912). Conclusions: Sarcopenia in urban sedentary populations is influenced by multifactorial determinants, including demographic, psychological, and metabolic factors. The developed scoring system provides a practical tool for early screening and risk stratification, although further validation is needed.