Dietary moves to tackle osteoporosis

The World Health Organisation has defined osteoporosis as the second leading health care problem after cardiovascular disease. A new European funded project - called 'Osteodiet' - will set out to investigate dietary strategies for its prevention.

Osteoporosis is effectively a reduction in bone mass and disruption of bone structure, resulting in reduced bone strength and increased fracture risk. To date, research on this disease has established the importance of several factors on its development, including, age, gender, hormonal status, diet and lifestyle factors such as physical activity and smoking. Research on nutrient-bone interactions has, so far, focussed mainly on calcium and vitamin D, even though several other nutrients (such as sodium, protein, vitamin K) are involved in skeletal metabolism and bone health.

European scientists involved the 'Osteodiet' project will look at the influence of diet, and its interaction with individual genetic variation, on the metabolism of calcium and bone in post-menopausal women.

Researchers hope that the findings of this project will reinforce the scientific base for development of dietary strategies for osteoporosis prevention in Europe.

The specific objectives of the project are to determine the effect of a high salt (sodium) diet on the metabolism of calcium and bone and how it is influenced by the level of dietary calcium. In addition, to investigate how individual genetic variation affects, through the vitamin D receptor gene, the adaptive response of calcium and bone metabolism to a high sodium - high protein (calciuric) diet.

Other objectives include the need to determine the effect of dietary vitamin K on the metabolism of calcium and bone and how it is influenced by individual genetic variation (apolipoprotein E gene). Developing and evaluating a radio-tracer (41Ca) method for assessing the impact of diet on bone resorption (loss) and calcium metabolism will also figure in the research.

At the present time, two of the four human studies have been completed. A further human study will finish early in 2003, while the last study will finish by summer 2003. Analysis is ongoing and the first results of this project are expected in early 2003.

The project co-ordinators, from the Department of Food Science at the University College Cork Ireland​, hope that findings of this project will be presented at the 'Optimal Nutrition for Osteoporosis Prevention' symposium from 18-20 June, 2003 in Cork, Ireland.