Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Offers Protection Against Osteoporosis

A new American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study finds that increased fruit and vegetable consumption may strengthen bones. Researchers at the University of Surrey, UK, explored the association between fruit and vegetable intakes and bone mineral status in a cross-sectional study including participants from five age and sex cohorts (adolescent boys and girls, young women and older men and women).

Fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with increased total body bone mineral density and bone mineral content in adolescent girls and boys. In older women a positive association was found between bone mineral content and fruit intake. Based on these results, a doubling of fruit intake in older women would be expected to result in a five percent increase in bone mineral content of the spine.