Association Between Sarcopenia and Nutritional Status in Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review.

HOW TO OBTAIN CONTACT HOURS BY READING THIS ARTICLE INSTRUCTIONS 1.2 contact hours will be awarded by Villanova University College of Nursing upon successful completion of this activity. A contact hour is a unit of measurement that denotes 60 minutes of an organized learning activity. This is a learner-based activity. Villanova University College of Nursing does not require submission of your answers to the quiz. A contact hour certificate will be awarded once you register, pay the registration fee, and complete the evaluation form online at http://goo.gl/gMfXaf. To obtain contact hours you must: 1. Read the article, "Association Between Sarcopenia and Nutritional Status in Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review" found on pages 33-41, carefully noting any tables and other illustrative materials that are included to enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content. Be sure to keep track of the amount of time (number of minutes) you spend reading the article and completing the quiz. 2. Read and answer each question on the quiz. After completing all of the questions, compare your answers to those provided within this issue. If you have incorrect answers, return to the article for further study. 3. Go to the Villanova website listed above to register for contact hour credit. You will be asked to provide your name; contact information; and a VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card number for payment of the $20.00 fee. Once you complete the online evaluation, a certificate will be automatically generated. This activity is valid for continuing education credit until June 30, 2019. CONTACT HOURS This activity is co-provided by Villanova University College of Nursing and SLACK Incorporated. Villanova University College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES 1. Describe the geriatric syndrome of sarcopenia. 2. Identify the outcome of the sarcopenia studies. DISCLOSURE STATEMENT Neither the planners nor the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose. Sarcopenia is an important geriatric syndrome with high prevalence rates and one of the most common causes of reductions in mobility, quality of life, and increasing dependency on care. The current study examined the relationship between sarcopenia and nutritional status in adults 60 and older. A systematic literature search was conducted, and data from 33 publications were included. The currently available literature indicates that sarcopenia is correlated with poor nutritional status (e.g., low body mass index, unfavorable nutritional risk screening results, decreased nutritional laboratory parameters, anorexia). Comparison of the studies' results were complicated by the lack of a generally accepted definition for sarcopenia, as well as the use of many different instruments to detect sarcopenia. The co-occurrence of malnutrition and sarcopenia is of great relevance. Future scientific work should focus on the formation of consistent definitions and instruments for the detection of sarcopenia to improve data comparisons. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(7), 33-41.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.