A new study has shown that increased dairy and protein consumption can reduce the risk of bone fractures in older people a third.
Researchers from the Monash University and the University of Melbourne examined the effect of diet on the impact of fractures and falls in a study involving 7,000 residents across 30 residential care homes.
The study found that when the amount of dairy and protein was increased the risk of falls and fractures commonly occurring in aged care residents was reduced significantly.
“Longevity increases the proportion of older adults in the population. The accompanying increased prevalences of chronic illnesses, loss of musculoskeletal mass, frailty, and bone fragility increase the risk of falls and fractures,” researchers said.
“Loss of independence increases the number of people needing full time institutionalised care, the source of around 30% of all hip fractures in the community. Thus, targeting an intervention to all aged care residents is a rational approach to reducing the fracture burden in the whole community.”
The two-year study found that providing residents with 3.5 servings of dairy for consumption, was associated with a 46% reduced risk for hip fractures, 33% for all fractures and 11% for falls.
The research was discussed yesterday at the congress of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism in Lyon – with a panel examining the topic of ‘Fighting fractures and falls with food: From science to practice’.
Dr. Sandra Iuliano, at the University of Melbourne, who led the study, said: “What the study shows is that when older adults almost double their intake of dairy products, they maintain weight, bone density and nutritional status.
“What we’ve done is slow the decline of bone and muscle by changing the diet of older adults, despite the fact that they’re losing muscle naturally because they’re old.”
The researchers also calculated the cost-saving potential if the dietary changes were to be rolled out across Australia.
Preventing fractures from increasing dairy intake was estimated to save $66.7 million (€39 million) annually in Australia, due to the ambulance, hospital, rehabilitation and residential care costs incurred by fracture.
Welcomed
The National Dairy Council (NDC) has said in Ireland, it is estimated that “over 300,000 people suffer from osteoporosis, with an estimated 30,000 fractures” each year.
The NDC added: “Fractures account for 2% of the overall health costs here, which is estimated to be €400 million per year.”
They said that the Department of Health in Ireland had released new dietary guidelines in June of this year, which advise older people to consume 3-4 servings from the ‘milk, yogurt and cheese’ food group each day, a recommendation which mirrors the amount of dairy consumed in the Australian study.
“However, previous Irish research show that only 3.5% of those over 60 years had a daily dairy intake of three or more servings per day,” the NDC said.
Professor Frances Dockery, Consultant Physician & Geriatrician at Beaumont Hospital and Joint Clinical Lead for the Fracture Liaison Services database in Ireland said “In the Irish context, if the same scientific model was applied this could equate to significant savings relating to the economic burden of fractures, not to mention the impact on quality of life for older people through avoidance of a painful, debilitating fracture.
“It is estimated that around 30% of patients with hip fracture die within a year of their injury and most of those who survive do not recover their baseline independence and function. Interestingly, the cost of intervention in this research study was just 70 cent (Euro 0.7) per resident, per day.”
“It is therefore a cost- effective intervention with significant benefits which could be easily adopted across residential settings in Ireland,” she said
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