How common is dysphagia in people with sarcopenia?
Reviewed by Roganie Govender

Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and function, affects about 10–16% of the global elderly population. The condition has also gained increased attention recently as a contributing factor to dysphagia amongst older individuals. The authors of this paper undertook a systematic review of the literature to examine the prevalence and associated risk factors for dysphagia in people with sarcopenia. Following a systematic search, 24 studies with a total of 9543 patients were identified for analysis. Almost a third of people with sarcopenia were found to be dysphagic (31% prevalence), with the main risk factors being age, tongue strength and malnutrition. The review was restricted to studies published in English and Chinese, and the authors also note that researchers in some countries have done more work on this topic than others, with most studies from Japan and China. Despite the limitations, the authors highlight that findings indicate that people with sarcopenia should be encouraged to maintain physical exercises and swallowing exercises to mitigate the impact of generalised muscle loss on swallowing function. They also call for more multi-regional research and greater ability to investigate individual and combined risk factors to determine their significance in mitigating dysphagia.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Dysphagia in Patients with Sarcopenia: A Meta-Analysis.
Li Y, Li J, Xian L, Yan H, et al.
DYSPHAGIA
2026;41(1):218–28.