▁lead ▁to ▁reduced ▁quality ▁of ▁life ▁and ▁dis ability . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁s arc open ia ▁is ▁from ▁Greek ▁ σ ά ρ ξ ▁sar x , ▁" f lesh " ▁and ▁ π ε ν ί α ▁pen ia , ▁" p over ty ". ▁This ▁was ▁first ▁proposed ▁by ▁Ros enberg ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁To ▁quote ▁" there ▁may ▁be ▁no ▁single ▁feature ▁of ▁age - related ▁decl ine ▁that ▁could ▁more ▁dram atically ▁affect ▁amb ulation , m ob ility , ▁cal orie ▁int ake , ▁and ▁overall ▁nut ri ent ▁int ake ▁and ▁status , ▁independence , ▁breath ing , ▁etc . ▁Why ▁have ▁we ▁not ▁given ▁it ▁more ▁attention ? ▁Perhaps ▁it ▁needs ▁a ▁name ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁Greek . ▁I ’ ll ▁suggest ▁a ▁couple : ▁sar com al acia ▁or ▁s arc open ia ". ▁ ▁Sign s ▁and ▁sympt oms ▁The ▁hall mark ▁sign ▁of ▁s arc open ia ▁is ▁loss ▁of ▁lean ▁mus cle ▁mass , ▁or ▁mus cle ▁at ro phy . ▁The ▁change ▁in ▁body ▁composition ▁may ▁be ▁difficult ▁to ▁detect ▁due ▁to ▁ob es ity , ▁changes ▁in ▁fat ▁mass , ▁or ▁ed ema . ▁Ch anges ▁in ▁weight , ▁lim b ▁or ▁wa ist ▁circum ference ▁are ▁not ▁reliable ▁indic ators ▁of ▁mus cle ▁mass ▁changes . ▁S arc open ia ▁may ▁also ▁cause ▁reduced ▁strength , ▁functional ▁decl ine ▁and ▁increased ▁risk ▁of ▁falling . ▁S arc open ia ▁may ▁also ▁have ▁no ▁sympt