Effect of dietary sources of calcium and protein on hip fractures and falls in older adults in residential care: cluster randomised controlled trial

Study answer

What this study found

Providing two extra daily servings of dairy foods to older adults in residential care reduced fracture and fall risk. All fractures: HR 0.67 (95% CI 0.48–0.93; P=0.02); hip fractures: HR 0.54 (95% CI 0.35–0.83; P=0.005); falls: HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.78–0.98; P=0.04). Significance for all fractures and hip fractures emerged by five months. All-cause mortality did not differ. Conclusion: increasing calcium and protein intake via regular dairy foods is a feasible, accessible strategy to reduce fractures and falls among aged-care residents and may have public health benefits beyond the setting.

Study & population

Two-year cluster randomised controlled trial in 60 accredited residential aged care facilities in ACT and Victoria, Australia; participants: 7195 permanent residents (mean age 86.0 years; ~68-70% female) living in facilities housing predominantly ambulant residents; vitamin D adequacy maintained via routine supplementation; outcomes analyzed at facility…

Intervention

Two additional daily servings of dairy foods (milk, yogurt, and cheese) provided to intervention facilities for 24 months; serving definitions: 250 mL milk, 200 g yogurt, 40 g cheese; fortification of milk with milk powder for use in recipes/beverages; additional dairy foods delivered through meals and snacks,…

Key limitation

Less than half of participants had follow-up longer than 15 months; substantial attrition and replacement of residents; compliance/dietary data collected in a subset; biomarker analyses available only in a small subgroup; some data not collected for all outcomes; partial blinding of staff and possible awareness of…

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Original abstract