New research has indicated that a healthy plant-based diet could lower the risk of osteoporosis in women over the age of 60. Osteoporosis is a health condition that weakens bones, meaning they break more easily. It can affect anyone but is most common in postmenopausal women.
The study, authored by Junwei Hu and collaborators and published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Osteoporosis International, is titled “Association of plant-based dietary patterns with the risk of osteoporosis in community-dwelling adults over 60 years: a cross-sectional study.” It found that a healthy plant-based diet was associated with a “significantly” lower risk of developing the condition, but an “unhealthy” plant-based diet (which would be composed of many processed foods, including fake meats, refined grains, desserts, and sugary drinks) was associated with a higher risk. In the study, healthy foods included whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, tea, nuts, and legumes.
The study looked at 9,613 women over the age of 60, from nine different communities in China, and 19.2% had osteoporosis. Additionally, 37.7%t had hypertension, 19.4% had diabetes, and 12.2% had a history of fracture. Between 2019 and 2021, participants were asked questions about dietary habits and demographic characteristics. They also underwent skeletal muscle mass evaluation.
The number of studies that are confirming that whole food plant-based diets (WFPB) are better for people’s health keeps increasing. Recently, A new study suggested that eating a diet rich in plant-based food may help ease some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread pain and extreme tiredness. There also have been some studies showing that unhealthy plant-based food is still healthier than animal-based food. For instance, a 2022 study reviewing 43 studies related to the health and environmental impacts of plant-based food concluded that plant-based meat is healthier than animal meat.
