Fish Consumption and Bone Health in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Jyrki K Virtanen, Dariush Mozaffarian, Jane A Cauley, Kenneth J Mukamal, John Robbins, David S Siscovick
Primary Institution: University of Eastern Finland
Hypothesis
Does fish and EPA + DHA consumption affect bone mineral density and hip fracture risk in older adults?
Conclusion
Fish consumption was associated with very small differences in bone mineral density and had no association with hip fracture risk.
Supporting Evidence
- Fish consumption was associated with a slight decrease in femoral neck bone mineral density.
- EPA + DHA intake was linked to lower femoral neck BMD among those with high linoleic acid intake.
- No significant associations were found between fish consumption and hip fracture risk.
Takeaway
Eating fish might not help your bones much, and it doesn't seem to lower the chance of breaking a hip as you get older.
Methodology
The study analyzed dietary intake using food-frequency questionnaires and assessed bone mineral density and hip fracture incidence over an average follow-up of 11.1 years.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of dietary intake and lack of adjudicated reviews for hip fracture diagnoses.
Limitations
The study relied on a single dietary assessment at baseline, which may lead to misclassification of fish consumption.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 65 years and older, with a mean age of 72.8 years, and included both men and women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p < .001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 0.83–1.84 for tuna/other fish; 95% CI 0.91–1.49 for fried fish; 95% CI 0.71–1.36 for EPA + DHA
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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