Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture

To explore dietary patterns beyond the traditional Mediterranean diet, a recent review published in the Nutrients Journal investigated their potential impact on bone health in older individuals. This study was conducted to shed light on whether alternative dietary patterns might influence the risk of osteoporotic fractures and bone density in older populations.

To conduct this comprehensive review, the researchers combed through three major electronic databases—Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus. Their aim was to identify original research papers that delved into the connections between alternative diets, such as the Baltic Sea Diet (BSD), modified/alternative Mediterranean diets, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, as assessed by validated scores. The review focused on people aged 50 and over, or studies that reported an average participant age of 60 and above.

The results, presented narratively, encompassed six observational studies, including four prospective cohort studies and two cross-sectional studies. Among their key findings, the research revealed that adherence to certain alternative diets was associated with improved bone health outcomes.

For instance, higher adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet demonstrated a link to a lower risk of lumbar spine osteoporosis in women. However, this was not mirrored in terms of hip fracture risk in studies involving both men and women. 

Additionally, adherence to an alternative Mediterranean diet (aMED) was linked to a decreased risk of hip fractures in one study. Similarly, a modified Mediterranean diet (mMED) was associated with a lower risk of hip fractures in one study and produced no significant results in another.

The results also indicated some heterogeneity in diet scores across these cohort studies, underlining the need for larger, more comprehensive studies to validate these initial findings.

This scoping review offers fresh insights into the potential benefits of modified dietary patterns beyond the traditional Mediterranean diet for older adults. While more extensive research is needed to corroborate these findings, it underscores the critical role that nutrition plays in bone health, particularly in the aging population.

Source:

Chen, H., & Avgerinou, C. (2023). Association of Alternative Dietary Patterns with Osteoporosis and Fracture Risk in Older People: A Scoping Review. In Nutrients (Vol. 15, Issue 19, p. 4255). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15194255