Sarcopenia, resulting from loss of muscle mass and function, is highly prevalent in the ageing societies and is associated with risk of falls, frailty, loss of independence, and mortality. It is important to identify environmental risk factors, so that evidence-based interventions to prevent sarcopenia can be implemented at the population level. This study aimed to examine the potential effect of several objectively measured neighborhood environmental factors on longitudinal change of muscle mass and function among older adults living in rural Japanese towns where the population is ageing. This study was based on data from the Shimane CoHRE Study conducted by the Center for Community-based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE) at Shimane University in 3 rural towns in the Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Subjects older than 60 years, who participated in an annual health examination in 2016 and any follow-up years until 2019, i.e., 4 possible time points in total, were included (n = 2526). The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and grip strength were assessed objectively for each year as a measure of muscle mass and function, respectively. Neighborhood environmental factors, i.e., hilliness, bus stop density, intersection density, residential density, and distance to a community center were measured by geographic information systems (GIS). Linear mixed models were applied to examine the potential effect of each neighborhood environmental factor on the change of SMI and grip strength over time. Males living far from community centers had a less pronounced decline in SMI compared to those living close to community centers. Females living in areas with higher residential density had a less pronounced decline in grip strength compared to those living in areas with lower residential density. Neighborhood environmental factors had limited effects on change of SMI and grip strength among rural older adults within the 3 years follow up. Further long-term follow up studies are necessary by also taking into account other modifiable neighborhood environmental factors.

中文翻译：

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农村老年人的邻里环境与肌肉质量和功能：一项为期 3 年的纵向研究

由于肌肉质量和功能丧失而导致的肌肉减少症在老龄化社会中非常普遍，并且与跌倒、虚弱、丧失独立性和死亡的风险相关。确定环境风险因素非常重要，以便在人群层面实施预防肌肉减少症的循证干预措施。本研究旨在探讨几个客观测量的邻里环境因素对生活在人口老龄化的日本农村城镇的老年人肌肉质量和功能纵向变化的潜在影响。本研究基于岛根县 CoHRE 研究的数据，该研究由岛根大学社区医疗保健研究和教育中心 (CoHRE) 在日本岛根县的 3 个乡村城镇进行。纳入2016年和2019年之前任何后续年份（即总共4个可能的时间点）参加年度健康检查的60岁以上受试者（n = 2526）。每年客观评估骨骼肌质量指数（SMI）和握力，分别作为肌肉质量和功能的衡量标准。通过地理信息系统（GIS）测量邻里环境因素，即丘陵、公交车站密度、十字路口密度、住宅密度和到社区中心的距离。应用线性混合模型来检验每个邻域环境因素对 SMI 和握力随时间变化的潜在影响。与居住在社区中心附近的男性相比，居住在远离社区中心的男性的 SMI 下降幅度不太明显。与居住在居住密度较低地区的女性相比，居住在居住密度较高地区的女性握力下降幅度较小。随访3年内，社区环境因素对农村老年人SMI和握力变化影响有限。还需要考虑其他可改变的邻里环境因素，进行进一步的长期跟踪研究。