Sarcopenia in Adults with Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review Protocol to map and describe the existing research

Abstract

There is a growing population of older persons with intellectual disability globally. Ageing in the general population is associated with poorer health, and sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, is associated with debilitating consequences of declining function, disability, adverse health outcomes and hospitalisations. The consequences of sarcopenia in older adults with intellectual disability is likely to be even more complex given their pre-existing life-long disabilities. Identifying the extent of sarcopenia in people with intellectual disability will contribute to the development of early screening and prevention strategies, as well as interventions to address this treatable condition to reduce long term complications. Consequently, the aim of this scoping review is to map and describe the existing research on sarcopenia in adults with intellectual disability.