Siti Setiati, Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman, Samuel Teong Huang Chew, Nina Kemala Sari, Kuntjoro Harimurti, Purwita Wijaya Laksmi, I Gusti Putu Suka Aryana, Sri Sunarti, Noto Dwimartutie, Ika Fitriana, Anastasia Asylia Dinakrisma, Muhammad Khifzhon Azwar, Roza Mulyana, Dina Aprillia Ariestine, Wiwit Agung Sri Nur Cahyawati, Lazuardhi Dwipa, Fatichati Budiningsih, Agus Sudarso, Mala Hayati, Chacha Marisa Isfandiari, Muhammad Darma Muda Setia, Rahmi Istanti
Introduction: The prevalence of possible sarcopenia among Indonesian older adults using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 consensus cutoffs was abnormally high compared with reported prevalence in other East Asian countries. This suggests that the current AWGS cutoff values may not be applicable to the Indonesian population as it did not contain reference statistical values based on the local population normative studies. This lack of local data may result in inaccurate assessments and diagnoses of sarcopenia among Indonesian population. We therefore aimed to conduct a nationwide study in the community to obtain optimal cutoff values for calf circumference, muscle strength, and physical performance for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in Indonesia. Methods: In this multicenter descriptive and cross-sectional study, we collected data from healthy adults aged 20–39 years in different islands in Indonesia. We followed the recommendation by the European Working Group for Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) of using 2 standard deviations [SD] below the mean of a young healthy cohort for the new cutoff points of sex-specific handgrip strength, calf circumference, and gait speed. The mean +2 SD was used for five times sit-to-stand test (FTSTST). Results: The mean −2 SD value of male handgrip strength was 21.15 kg, and 14.34 kg for female subjects. The mean −2 SD value of male and female calf circumferences were 29.92 cm, and 26.70 cm, respectively. Two SD below the mean of gait speed results was 0.51 s, whereas 2 SD above mean of FTSTST results was 11.69 s. Discussion: The suggested cutoff values for low calf circumference, muscle strength, and gait speed in Indonesian population are different from those in previous consensuses. Body morphology, culture, and obesity may be the factors related to this phenomenon. This study contributes to the body of literature of normative data used to determine cutoff values used in the diagnosis of sarcopenia in Indonesian and Asian populations. Copyright © 2025 Setiati, Kamaruzzaman, Chew, Kemala Sari, Harimurti, Laksmi, Aryana, Sunarti, Dwimartutie, Fitriana, Asylia Dinakrisma, Azwar, Mulyana, Ariestine, Cahyawati, Dwipa, Budiningsih, Sudarso, Hayati, Isfandiari, Setia and Istanti.
Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital – Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia; Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Ageing and Age-Associated Disorders Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; SingHealth Duke-NUS Medicine Academic Clinical Programme, Singapore, Singapore; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Udayana – Prof. Dr, Ngoerah General Hospital Denpasar, Denpasar, Indonesia; Geriatric and Medical Gerontology Division, Internal Medicine Department, Medical Faculty of Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas – Dr. M. Djamil General Hospital, Padang, Indonesia; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia; Prof. Chairuddin P. Lubis Universitas Sumatera Utara Hospital, Medan, Indonesia; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Ulin District General Hospital, Banjarmasin, Indonesia; Department of Internal Medicine, Moch Ansari Saleh District General Hospital, Banjarmasin, Indonesia; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran – Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret – Dr Moewardi Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Hasanuddin – Wahidin Sudirohusodo General Hospital, Makassar, Indonesia; Merauke District General Hospital, Merauke, Indonesia; Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia; Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine Unit, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital – Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Central Jakarta, Indonesia
