A new study ‘Dietary Sources of Calcium and Protein Reduce Hip Fractures and Falls in Institutionalised Older Adults: a Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial’ has been published in the British Medical Journal.

Led by researchers at the University of Melbourne and Austin Health, the Fractures Trial investigated how the food served in aged care facilities impacted on the health of the residents. Sixty aged-care facilities and over 7000 residents took part in the study over two years, where half of the facilities continued with their regular menu and the other half increased their serves of dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt, and skim milk powder) from an average of two to 3.5 serves per day.

Researchers found this dietary change resulted in a number of clinically significant changes including:

• Improved calcium and protein intakes
• 33% reduction in all fractures
• 46% reduction in hip fractures
• 11% reduction in falls.

The intervention was found to be safe, effective, accessible, and palatable, providing evidence that provision of dairy foods is an effective solution to falls and fractures.

The study was partly funded by nine international dairy organisations.

Read the new study here.