Abbott and Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) have announced a three-year partnership to enhance muscle health screening and education across Singapore. This initiative seeks to address sarcopenia, a condition affecting one in three Singaporeans aged 60 and above, by integrating screenings into hospital and community settings and expanding public education.
The collaboration builds on a 2023 partnership that trained nearly 300 healthcare professionals in muscle health assessment. The expanded effort will focus on professional capacity building, screening and early identification, and public education. Healthcare professionals will be equipped with Abbott’s Asian reference Muscle Health Chart to improve diagnostic precision.
Muscle health is crucial for healthy ageing, with adults losing up to 8% of muscle mass per decade from age 40. The initiative aims to prevent frailty, falls, and fractures by identifying at-risk individuals earlier. “Muscle loss is one of the most under-recognised threats to healthy ageing,” said Dr Frederick Koh of SKH. “This next phase takes us further by bringing screening directly into hospital and community settings.”
Dr Low Yen Ling of Abbott highlighted the role of nutrition and exercise in maintaining muscle health, stating, “We hope to encourage more people to take proactive steps through good nutrition and resistance exercise.”
Individuals concerned about muscle health are encouraged to consult healthcare professionals and visit stand4strength.sg for more information.
