Elderly women and men who have greater amounts of protein in their diet are less likely to experience hip fractures than do elders who consume less. The recommendation by Dr. Hannan is that elderly women include a minimum of 46 grams of protein daily, and that elderly men consume a minimum of 56 grams of protein daily. The food sources can be from either animal or vegetable sources. Animal sources of protein include meat and fish, eggs and milk products such as milk, cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt. Vegetable sources of protein include beans, grains, nuts and seeds and vegetables.
Learn more about diet, protein and osteoporosis.
Researchers:
Framingham Osteoporosis Study
Dr. Hannan and associates, Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew Senior Life, Harvard Medical School