Fewer Fruit and Vegetables Leads to Risk of Hip Fracture

A recent Swedish study published in the Journal of Bone Health and Mineral Research found that eating less than the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables per day substantially increases the risk of hip fractures for both men and women over the age of 45. The study assessed the fruit and vegetable intake of more than 75,000 men and women in 1997 and compared the incidence of hip fractures in that population from 1998 to 2010. Those who consumed zero fruit or vegetables had an 88-percent higher incidence of hip fractures than their five-per-day counterparts. Calcium, the building block of strong bones, is readily available in plant sources such as kale, collard greens, and broccoli.