High saturated fat consumption and high cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures

This study was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 Sep;61(9):1114-20

Study title and authors:
Dietary fat intake and the risk of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly.

Martínez-Ramírez MJ, Palma S, Martínez-González MA, Delgado-Martínez AD, de la Fuente C, Delgado-Rodríguez M.
Service of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital of Jaén & Division of Medicine, University of Jaén, Navarra, Spain. mamartinez@unav.es

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17299494

The aim of this study was to explore the association between fat intake, cholesterol levels and the risk of osteoporotic fractures in the elderly. (Osteoporotic fractures are defined as fractures associated with low bone mineral density and include clinical spine, forearm, hip and shoulder fractures). The study was a hospital-based case-control study and included 167 patients (aged 65 years or more) with a low-energy fracture and 167 patients without fractures.

The study found:
(a) Those who consumed the most saturated fat (more than 34 grams per day) had a 20% reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures compared with those who consumed the least saturated fat (less than 23 grams per day).
(b) Those who consumed the most polysaturated fat (more than 18 grams per day) had a 488% increased risk of osteoporotic fractures compared with those who consumed the least polysaturated fat (less than 11 grams per day).
(c) Those with the highest cholesterol levels (more than 241 mg/dL or 6.2 mmol/L) had a 6% reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures compared with those with the lowest cholesterol levels (less than 191 mg/dL or 4.9 mmol/L).
(d) Those with the highest levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (more than 62 mg/dL or 1.6 mmol/L) had a 71% reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures compared with those with the lowest levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (less than 45 mg/dL or 1.1 mmol/L).

High saturated fat consumption and high cholesterol levels are associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures, whereas a high consumption of polysaturated fat was associated with an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures.