Healthy Diet Linked to Lower Hip-Fracture Risk in U.S. Women

A new study tied a healthy diet to lower incidence of hip fractures in women.   There were 2,143 hip fractures among the women and 603 among the men across the study period. Eating an overall healthy diet is tied to lower risk of hip fracture among women over 50. There was no clear association between diet and hip fracture in men. Women have less bone to begin with and go though an early bone loss around menopause. The study was not a controlled experiment designed to prove that diet quality influences hip fracture risk. They do however say that vitamins and minerals including calcium, vitamin D and vitamin K are essential for maintaining bone hardness. Sure, bone integrity declines and composition weakens as people age. Among the study’s limitations, the small number of hip fractures in men might have reduced the researchers’ ability to identify associations between fractures and diet. In addition, all the study participants in the analysis were white, which may make the results less generalization to people of other ethnicity. The study was based on a point/scale system.   All three scales award points for fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and other healthy foods. Points are withheld or even deducted if a diet includes high levels of red and processed meats, sodium or sugar-laden beverages.