Sarcopenia: epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment

Sarcopenia is increasingly recognised as a major contributor to falls, frailty, functional decline, and loss of independence in older adults — yet it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in many settings. In this Seminar, Dr Ben Kirk presents a timely overview of the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of sarcopenia, with a focus on practical clinical relevance for ageing, health, and aged care contexts. Drawing on his internationally recognised work in muscle ageing and his leadership of the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS), Dr Kirk also discusses recent global efforts to improve the definition and recognition of sarcopenia, including progress toward a WHO-endorsed International Classification of Diseases code. This seminar is highly relevant to clinicians, researchers, and aged care professionals interested in improving the identification and management of sarcopenia in older people.

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About the presenter

Dr Ben Kirk PhD

Dr Ben Kirk PhD is a Senior Fellow in the Melbourne Medical School. Ben’s research program (+65 publications, H-index 30) focuses on muscle ageing and optimising the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of sarcopenia.

Ben led the world’s first global consensus definition for sarcopenia through the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia. This initiative is informing a WHO-endorsed International Classification of Diseases code for Sarcopenia.