Abstract: Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of sarcopenia among the community elderly in Anhui Province, so as to provide the reference for community primary medical staffs to identify, prevent and control sarcopenia. Methods From February 2019 to December 2021, 1716 elderly people in the communities of Hefei, Bengbu and Chuzhou who signed contracts with family doctors were enrolled as the study subjects by using the convenient sampling method. According to 2019 consensus report of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia, the subjects were screened for sarcopenia and underwent relevant health examinations. Results The prevalence rate of sarcopenia among the community elderly in Anhui Province was 12.47% (214/1716). There were significant differences in gender, age, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, hypertension, dyslipidemia, joint pain, sufficient physical exercise, vital capacity and choice reaction time between the elderly with or without sarcopenia (P<0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that advanced age and joint pain were risk factors for sarcopenia, and higher BMI, sufficient physical exercise and higher vital capacity were protective factors for sarcopenia. Conclusions The prevalence rate of sarcopenia among the community elderly in Anhui Province is high. Community primary medical staffs should guide older people with joint pain to increase exercise to maintain higher vital capacity, and increase nutrition intake to prevent and control sarcopenia.

Key words: community elderly, sarcopenia, joint pain, physical fitness, influencing factor