Clinical Consensus • 2019 • Cruz-Jentoft and colleagues; Age and Ageing
Research Summary
The revised European consensus changes how sarcopenia is identified by placing low muscle strength at the centre of the assessment. Low muscle quantity or quality is used to confirm the diagnosis, while poor physical performance indicates greater severity. This is important because a person’s muscle size alone does not fully describe their ability to function. The paper provides a sequence for identifying possible cases, assessing them and determining severity. It also recognises that sarcopenia can arise earlier in life and is not simply an inevitable consequence of reaching a particular birthday. This is a clinical consensus framework, rather than a trial proving a treatment effect. Thresholds and test methods require proper context, and an informal home measurement should not be presented as equivalent to a professional diagnosis or a complete assessment of muscle health.
Evidence and limitations: Consensus diagnostic framework; not a treatment trial
Catalogue reference: KL-024. Source reviewed: 27 September 2026. This summary is independent of the publisher.