{ "abstract": "Malnutrition, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity may coexist with excess adiposity and cardiometabolic diseases in aging populations, but their combined burden and inflammatory profile remain insufficiently characterized. This study examined their prevalence and overlap in older adults with cardiometabolic diseases and explored associations with metabolic syndrome, multidimensional health-related factors and inflammation. In this cross-sectional study 303 Caucasian adults aged ≥ 65 years were recruited from a General Medicine ward and an Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases outpatient clinic in Northern Italy. Malnutrition, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and metabolic syndrome were identified according to the GLIM, EWGSOP2, ESPEN/EASO, and IDF criteria, respectively. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, body composition, lifestyle, functional, psychological, and biochemical variables were collected using standardized procedures. CRP, WBC, platelet counts, prealbumin, uric acid, and circulating cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and TGF-β) provided complementary information on inflammatory, nutritional, and metabolic status. The prevalence of malnutrition, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, probable sarcopenia, and metabolic syndrome was 39.9%, 30.9%, 9.4%, 42.6%, and 60.1%, respectively, and was generally higher in inpatients. 13.2% of malnourished patients suffered from overweight or obesity, while malnutrition and sarcopenia overlapped in 29.2%. Older age, functional dependence, poorer physical health-related quality of life, and BMI class were associated with malnutrition or sarcopenia, whereas sarcopenic obesity was associated with age 75–84 years and low physical activity. Metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with malnutrition, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity. Higher circulating IL-6 concentrations were observed in older participants and in those with sarcopenic obesity or metabolic syndrome. Malnutrition, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and metabolic syndrome are highly prevalent and overlapping conditions among older adults with cardiometabolic diseases, especially in hospitalized patients. Excess body weight does not exclude nutritional or muscle impairment, thus integrated assessment is needed to identify vulnerable older adults and guide targeted interventions.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Laboratory of Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy", "Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Clinical Nutrition, Pavia, Italy", "National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy", "Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy", "Unit of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Laboratory for Endocrine Disruptors, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Pavia, Italy", "Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy", "Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Council of Italy, Pavia, Italy", "Quironsalud Hospital Sagrado Corazón, Sevilla, Spain", "Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Unit of Internal Medicine, Pavia, Italy", "0First Department of Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy", "1SC Coordinamento, Supporto e Monitoraggio della Ricerca clinica e Sperimentale, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy", "2School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy", "3Department of Occupational Health, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy" ], "article_type": null, "arxiv": null, "author_total": 38, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Sara Santero" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Federica Bolpagni" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Federica Bolpagni" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Federica Bolpagni" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Sara Boussetta" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Francesca Coperchini" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Francesca Coperchini" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "Ginevra Biino" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Nagaia Madini" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Cecilia Ricciardi Rizzo" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Flavia Magri" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Flavia Magri" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Mario Rotondi" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Mario Rotondi" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Alessandra Vincenti" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Alice Beretta" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Giulia Viroli" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Matteo Manuelli" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "Maria Luisa Fonte" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Ilaria Di Napoli" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Donatella Corvino" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Pasquale De Cata" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Antonio Di Sabatino" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Antonio Di Sabatino" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Anna Giulia Falchi" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Ilaria Ferrari" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Alessandra Marchese" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Marco Vincenzo Lenti" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Marco Vincenzo Lenti" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Federica Lepore" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Francesco Mordà" }, { "affs": [ 10 ], "name": "Mariangela Delliponti" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Maria Emilia Paladino" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Maria Emilia Paladino" }, { "affs": [ 11 ], "name": "Michele A Riva" }, { "affs": [ 12 ], "name": "Michele A Riva" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Hellas Cena" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Hellas Cena" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aqvempccxw069.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.3389/fnut.2026.1927628", "fulltext_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1927628/full", "id": "aqvempccxw069", "issns": [ "2296-861X" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1927628", "language": "en", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "lcc", "TX341-641" ], [ "openalex", "2737|Nutrition and Health in Aging" ] ], "openalex": "W7224130195", "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1927628/pdf", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-10-28", "publisher": "Frontiers Media S.A.", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aqvempccxw069.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-31T14:22:18Z", "native_id": "003ceea124bd4c5c8044a984da5bc6d0", "source": "doaj", "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1927628" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "medicine", "origin": "openalex:2737|Nutrition and Health in Aging", "subfield": "physiology" } ], "title": "Prevalence and clinical characterization of malnutrition, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older adults with cardiometabolic diseases: SENIOR cross-sectional study", "title_text": "Prevalence and clinical characterization of malnutrition, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older adults with cardiometabolic diseases: SENIOR cross-sectional study", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-31T14:22:18Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/aqvempccxw069", "venue": "Frontiers in Nutrition", "versions": [] }