Higher Protein Intake Linked
to Fewer Hip Fractures

 

Hip fractures are a serious danger for older people, often leading to death or disability. Research studies have reached conflicting conclusions about whether diet has an effect on the likelihood of breaking bones. A new study reports an association between how much protein older people ate and their risk of hip fracture.

Marian Hannan and colleagues from Boston University and the Institute for Aging Research at Hebrew SeniorLife studied 946 men and women enrolled in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. Their average age was 75 and they completed annual questionnaires about their diet and health. The researchers divided them into four groups based on how much protein they said they ate. After 11 years, 80 of the women and 20 of the men had broken their hips.

People in the top three groups for protein intake — which all met recommended levels —had a 37 percent lower risk of hip fracture compared with the people in the lowest protein group, which was below recommended levels. The authors say that people who ate more protein may have built stronger leg muscles, helping them avoid falls.

Hannan said older people should eat at least 46 grams a day of protein for women and 56 grams for men.

BOTTOM LINE: Older people who ate more protein had a lower risk of hip fracture compared to similar people who ate less protein.

CAUTIONS: The study subjects were mostly Caucasians, so the results may not apply to people from other ethnic or racial groups.

WHERE TO FIND IT:Osteoporosis International, online May 5

-From “Higher protein intake linked to fewer hip fractures” by Elizabeth Cooney, “Be Well” column, The Boston Globe, http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2010/05/17/music_adds_memories_for_alzheimers_patients_more_protein_means_fewer_broken_hips/ retrieved 5/17/10.

 

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