Hip Fracture Risk in Vegan Women May Be Reduced By Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation

Previous research has found that women who follow a vegan diet may have up to a 43% higher risk of bone fractures compared to meat eaters. A recent study suggests that women who follow a vegan diet and take vitamin D and calcium supplements may reduce their risk of hip fractures.

Participants in the study included 34,542 women who took part in the Adventist Health Study 2. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at the beginning of the study. Participants were categorized as vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, and non-vegetarian. Participants were followed for an average of 8.4 years, and all incidences of hip fracture were recorded.

The researchers found that women who followed a vegan diet had a 53% higher risk of hip fracture compared to women who consumed meat. However, women who followed a vegan diet and took vitamin D and calcium supplements had the same or lower risk of hip fracture compared to women who consumed meat.

The study was conducted by researchers from Loma Linda University. It was published online ahead of print on May 8, 2021, in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.