{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,21]],"date-time":"2026-08-21T13:59:38Z","timestamp":1787320778902,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763078400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002322","name":"Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel\u2014Brazil","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Finance Code 001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Finance Code 001"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002322","name":"Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel\u2014Brazil","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["88887.822126\/2023-00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["88887.822126\/2023-00"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002322","name":"Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel\u2014Brazil","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["88887.155988\/2025-00"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["88887.155988\/2025-00"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002322","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003593","name":"National Council for Scientific and Technological Development","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["306628\/2025-2"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["306628\/2025-2"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003593","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medical Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Postmenopausal women face an elevated risk of sarcopenia and functional decline, yet the distinct roles of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and physical inactivity in these outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the independent and combined associations of T2DM and physical activity on sarcopenia and functional performance in postmenopausal women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 175 postmenopausal women stratified by T2DM status and physical activity level (active \u2265150 min\/week vs. insufficiently active). Body composition was assessed via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, muscle strength by handgrip dynamometry, and functional performance by gait speed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. Binary logistic regression calculated odds ratios (ORs) for adverse outcomes. Results: Physical inactivity was the strongest predictor of functional decline, with insufficiently active women showing nearly four-fold increased odds of slow gait speed (&lt;1.0 m\/s) compared to active counterparts (OR: 3.93; 95% CI: 1.24\u201312.45). While T2DM appeared protective against sarcopenia in unadjusted analysis, multivariate adjustment revealed obesity (OR: 4.97; 95% CI: 1.62\u201315.20) and T2DM (OR: 3.80; 95% CI: 1.59\u20139.08) as independent sarcopenia predictors. Conclusions: Distinct associational profiles emerged for sarcopenia and functional decline in postmenopausal women. While T2DM and obesity are independently associated with sarcopenia through metabolic mechanisms, physical inactivity emerged as the strongest predictor of functional impairment. These findings support targeted interventions: metabolic optimization for muscle mass preservation and structured physical activity, particularly resistance training, for maintaining functional independence in this high-risk population.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medsci13040268","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]],"date-time":"2025-11-14T09:06:36Z","timestamp":1763111196000},"page":"268","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Sarcopenia and Functional Decline in Postmenopausal Women: The Roles of Type 2 Diabetes and Physical Activity"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6691-4436","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anthony Rodrigues de","family":"Vasconcelos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance (PPGRDF), University of Pernambuco, Petrolina 56328-900, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fernando Jos\u00e9 de S\u00e1 Pereira","family":"Guimar\u00e3es","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance (PPGRDF), University of Pernambuco, Petrolina 56328-900, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9890-8783","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pedro Weldes da Silva","family":"Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"High School Physical Education (ESEF), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria Joana Mesquita Cruz Barbosa de","family":"Carvalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Sports (FADEUP), University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0516-8780","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aline de Freitas","family":"Brito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance (PPGRDF), University of Pernambuco, Petrolina 56328-900, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"High School Physical Education (ESEF), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Keyla Brand\u00e3o","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"High School Physical Education (ESEF), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5853-4978","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lucas Savassi","family":"Figueiredo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"School of Physical Education, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy (EEFFTO), Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2935-3403","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paulo Adriano","family":"Schwingel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance (PPGRDF), University of Pernambuco, Petrolina 56328-900, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0590-8937","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Denise Maria Martins","family":"Vancea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"High School Physical Education (ESEF), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8815-8846","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Manoel da Cunha","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program in Rehabilitation and Functional Performance (PPGRDF), University of Pernambuco, Petrolina 56328-900, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"Research Group on Physical Exercise and Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases (GPEFDCNT), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"High School Physical Education (ESEF), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"},{"name":"Laborat\u00f3rio da Avalia\u00e7\u00e3o da Performance Humana (LapH), University of Pernambuco, Recife 50100-130, PE, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4038","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cell.2023.08.016","article-title":"Menopause-Biology, Consequences, Supportive Care, and Therapeutic Options","volume":"186","author":"Davis","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cell"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.5114\/pm.2024.145954","article-title":"Association of Age at Menopause with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"23","author":"Zakerinasab","year":"2024","journal-title":"Menopausal 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