Objective:

To elucidate the impact of bariatric surgery on sarcopenia-related parameters as defined by the EWGSOP2 consensus criteria, highlighting its significance in obesity treatment.

Key Findings:

• Bariatric surgery leads to significant weight loss, affecting both fat and muscle mass, with implications for patient management.
• Post-surgery, patients may experience increased risk of nutrient deficiencies, potentially worsening sarcopenic obesity, necessitating careful monitoring.
• Sarcopenia is challenging to define, with various organizations proposing different diagnostic criteria, complicating clinical assessments.

Interpretation:

The review highlights the need for comprehensive evaluation of sarcopenia-related parameters post-bariatric surgery, emphasizing muscle strength as a more reliable indicator of functional capacity than muscle mass.

Limitations:

• Lack of consensus on definitions and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity, which may affect the applicability of findings.
• Many studies did not evaluate all three required parameters (muscle mass, strength, physical performance) as per EWGSOP2, limiting the robustness of conclusions drawn.

Conclusion:

Further research is necessary to establish standardized diagnostic criteria and to better understand the metabolic effects of bariatric surgery on sarcopenia, particularly focusing on muscle strength and functional outcomes.