In response to Taiwan’s impending transition into a super-aged society, the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) officially released its latest diagnostic consensus on December 1, 2025, with the findings published in the prestigious international journal Nature Aging. This journal has traditionally focused on publishing research in aging science and fundamental studies, rarely featuring clinical guidelines or diagnostic consensus documents for specific diseases. The inclusion of the AWGS diagnostic consensus demonstrates the international academic community’s profound recognition of this innovative diagnostic framework and research approach, while also highlighting the significance of Asian perspectives in global geriatric medicine research.

The diagnostic consensus was led by Professor Liang-Kung Chen, Superintendent of Taipei City Hospital Guandu Branch and Director of the Center for Healthy Longevity and Aging Sciences at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, integrating expertise from multiple Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The consensus synthesized data from eight large-scale Asian cohort studies involving long-term follow-up of nearly thirty-five thousand participants, establishing a rigorously evidence-based diagnostic framework that reflects the unique characteristics of Asian populations. Research findings revealed significant differences between Asian and Western populations in body composition, muscle mass, and muscle strength changes, underscoring the necessity of developing Asia-specific diagnostic consensus.

One of the most groundbreaking adjustments in the new consensus is the advancement of sarcopenia screening age from sixty-five to fifty years old for the first time, clearly indicating that muscle function decline begins as early as midlife and establishing middle age as a critical intervention period. This change facilitates earlier identification of high-risk populations and reduces future risks of falls, disability, and chronic diseases. Furthermore, the consensus simplifies the diagnostic process by clearly defining sarcopenia as requiring both low muscle mass and low muscle strength simultaneously, while repositioning physical performance measures such as gait speed and the five-times sit-to-stand test as tools for disease prognosis and risk assessment, thereby enhancing clinical applicability and consistency.
More importantly, this consensus no longer centers solely on disease diagnosis but advances a new framework for muscle health promotion based on the life-course approach, emphasizing skeletal muscle as a core organ for healthy longevity with close cross-system interactions involving the brain, bones, adipose tissue, and immune system. This perspective aligns with the World Health Organization’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, emphasizing the integration of resistance exercise, nutritional interventions, and personalized care strategies to provide actionable directions for Asian countries facing population aging challenges.

The release of this diagnostic consensus and its publication in Nature Aging repositions the role of sarcopenia in research and clinical management, extending from passive disease diagnosis to proactive, forward-looking muscle health promotion strategies with profound implications for Asian clinical practice, public health policy, and healthy aging initiatives. This represents one of the rare disease diagnostic consensuses led by Taiwan that has successfully garnered recognition from a top-tier international journal, demonstrating Taiwan’s research integration capabilities and academic leadership on critical issues in geriatric medicine, while establishing an important foundation for future international collaboration and industry-academia research and development.

The above content is excerpted from the news in the United Daily News. The original article can be found at: https://health.udn.com/health/story/5967/9227689

As Asia experiences rapid population aging, academic and research institutions in Taiwan and Japan continue to deepen their collaboration in search of innovative solutions for aging societies. The 9th Taiwan-Japan International Symposium on Geriatric Medicine was held on April 10, 2025, in Nagoya, Japan, for a two-day event. It was co-hosted by Taiwan’s National Health Research Institutes (NHRI), National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taipei Veterans General Hospital (TVGH), Japan’s National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG). The symposium brought together over 40 leading experts and scholars from both countries to engage in in-depth discussions on sarcopenia and frailty diagnosis, neuroscience innovations, dementia care and mental well-being, digital health, and more, resulting in fruitful exchanges and outcomes.

The symposium was co-chaired by NHRI President Dr. Hui-Kang Sytwu, NYCU President Dr. Chi-Hung Lin, TVGH Deputy Superintendent Dr. Shu-Chun Wang, NCGG President Dr. Hidenori Arai, and TMIG Director Dr. Masahiro Akishita. Their joint presence symbolized a decade of solid research partnership between Taiwan and Japan. Since 2015, the two sides have established a collaborative platform through the “Center for Geriatrics and Health Integration.” From 2022 onward, the partnership has expanded to include regional research institutions, jointly promoting policies for holistic health and longevity.

During the symposium, numerous scholars presented their latest research findings. Dr. Liang-Kung Chen, Chair of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and Superintendent of Taipei Municipal Gan-Dau Hospital, delivered an update on the “2025 Asian Sarcopenia Diagnostic Consensus.” He emphasized that generational cohort studies in Taiwan and Japan reveal significant ethnic differences in muscle aging and risk factors, underscoring the importance of cross-national data integration and comparative research. Professor Fei-Yuan Xiao of National Taiwan University further enriched the discussion by analyzing trends in muscle strength across cohorts from Taiwan, the UK, and the US, offering global insight into population differences.

In the area of nutritional intervention, Dr. Ching-Hui Lo, Deputy Superintendent of Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, presented the potential of whole-food plant-based diets in promoting muscle health. NHRI Associate Investigator Dr. Hsueh-Ting Chiu shared the non-pharmacological benefits of vegan diets, MyPlate dietary models, and amla (Indian gooseberry) intake for people with hyperuricemia. Additionally, Japanese researcher Naoki Ito highlighted the crucial mediating roles of NAD+ metabolism, lactic acid, and calcium ion signaling in healthy aging, providing promising directions for future precision medicine.

Beyond physical health, the symposium also addressed the psychosocial and behavioral care of people with dementia. NHRI Assistant Researcher Dr. Chia-Ming Yen explored caregiver coping strategies, emphasizing the need for support systems and professional training to enhance the quality of care and family well-being.

In his remarks, NYCU President Dr. Chi-Hung Lin highlighted that the merger of Yang Ming University and Chiao Tung University has brought artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical engineering into aging research, significantly enhancing the university’s research depth and international competitiveness. He noted that Taiwan and Japan co-publish more than 20 scientific papers annually, with many works recognized by leading international academic communities.

The symposium also emphasized the societal and policy implications of aging research. Dr. Liang-Kung Chen cited Japan’s use of ESG strategies to promote the “KENKO Investment in Health (KIH)” initiative, which combines corporate and government efforts to prevent disability and dementia, maintain workforce capacity, and support national productivity—a valuable reference for Taiwan’s policy development.

Through vibrant exchanges, Taiwan and Japan not only showcased the achievements of their decade-long partnership but also shared visions for healthy aging strategies grounded in both scientific evidence and cultural context. The 10th Taiwan-Japan International Symposium on Geriatric Medicine is scheduled to be hosted by Taipei Veterans General Hospital in 2025, where further innovations and international collaborations are expected to be unveiled.

The above content is excerpted from reports by United Daily News / Reporter Shu-Jen Lee and Yahoo News Taiwan / Reporter Hsi-Yao Fu. For the original articles, please refer to:

https://udn.com/news/story/7270/8665581#

https://reurl.cc/OYjeA3

 

DEFINING SARCOPENIA
Over the past two decades, many international groups have formulated definitions for sarcopenia, including reduced muscle function alongside low muscle mass. These definitions have proven successful in advancing the field an introducing the term into the revised version of the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification. However, the absence of consensus among widely used definitions is currently impeding progress in the field, affecting both research and the integration of sarcopenia into routine clinical practice. It is crucial to establish a universally accepted definition of sarcopenia that can be applied worldwide. This step is necessary to further propel advancements in the field and ultimately enhance the care of patients with sarcopenia and to prevent its consequences.

https://www.esceo.org/glis