Impact of Vitamin D Status and Nutrition on the Occurrence of Long Bone Fractures Due to Falls in Elderly Subjects in the Vojvodina Region of Serbia

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 16; no. 16; p. 2702
• Main Authors: Gvozdenović, Nemanja, Šarac, Ivana, Ćorić, Andrijana, Karan, Saša, Nikolić, Stanislava, Ždrale, Isidora, Milešević, Jelena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14-08-2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Autumn; Body mass index; Bone surgery; Bones; Consent; Diet; Dietary minerals; elderly population; Female; Females; fracture; Fractures; Fractures, Bone - epidemiology; Fractures, Bone - etiology; frailty; Hip joint; Humans; Lifestyles; Male; Malnutrition; Mortality; Nutrition research; Nutritional Status; Older people; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis; Proteins; Risk Factors; Serbia - epidemiology; Trauma; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - administration & dosage; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology; Vitamin deficiency; Serbia; elderly population; frailty; diet; vitamin D; fracture
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16162702

Bone fractures are a significant public health issue among elderly subjects. This study examines the impact of diet and vitamin D status on the risk of long bone fractures due to falls in elderly subjects in Vojvodina, Serbia. Conducted at the University Clinical Center of Vojvodina in autumn/winter 2022-2023, the study included 210 subjects >65 years: 105 (F: 80/M: 15) with long bone fractures due to falls and 105 (F: 80/M: 15) controls. Groups were similar regarding age and BMI. Dietary intakes (by two 24-h recalls) and serum vitamin D levels were analyzed. The fracture group had a significantly lower median daily vitamin D intake (1.4 μg/day vs. 5.8 μg/day), intake of calcium, energy, proteins, fats, fibers, dairy products, eggs, fish, edible fats/oils, and a higher intake of sweets (
< 0.001 for all). Serum vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the fracture group (40.0 nmol/L vs. 76.0 nmol/L,
< 0.001). Logistic regression identified serum vitamin D as the most important protective factor against fractures, and ROC curve analysis indicated that serum vitamin D levels > 50.5 nmol/L decreased fracture risk. Nutritional improvements (increased intake of vitamin D and protein sources such as fish, eggs, and dairy), increased sun exposure, and routine vitamin D supplementation during winter are advised.