Exercise Helps Older Adults With Sarcopenic Obesity, but Evidence Quality Is Mixed

Moderate Evidence·Maturitas·Apr 2026

Pooling 20 trials of older adults with sarcopenic obesity (low muscle plus excess fat), exercise reduced body fat, BMI, and LDL cholesterol while boosting muscle mass, grip strength, and walking speed. Resistance training stood out for building muscle and strength. Combined training (resistance plus cardio) improved the broadest range of outcomes. However, the authors caution that evidence quality was only moderate for body composition and low for metabolic benefits.

Key Insight

This review suggests resistance or combined training may benefit older adults dealing with muscle loss and excess fat.

Original Paper

Maturitas··917 older adults (mean age 64-81) with sarcopenic obesity across 20 RCTs

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