Researchers from Tulane University have determined that a surplus of soft drinks, fast food, crisps, and confections in one’s diet correlates with deteriorating bone health and an increased likelihood of fractures. The findings of this study have been released in The British Journal of Nutrition (BJN).
The investigators examined health information from over 160,000 individuals in the UK Biobank dataset. The monitoring of these volunteers’ health status and dietary habits spanned more than 12 years. The scientists contrasted the proportion of ultra-processed foods consumed with measurements of bone mineral density and the incidence of bone breaks.
It was discovered that individuals who more frequently consumed items such as ready-to-eat frozen meals, sweetened yogurts, breakfast cereals, cookies, chips, and carbonated beverages exhibited lower bone density and a greater probability of experiencing a hip fracture. According to the authors’ calculations, for every extra 3.7 servings (weighing 30–50g each) of ultra-processed food consumed daily, the risk of a hip fracture increased by roughly 10.5%.
On average, the participants in this research were ingesting about eight servings of ultra-processed items each day.
The team suggests that the underlying cause might involve the composition of these food items. Ultra-processed goods frequently contain high levels of salt, sugar, and fats, while simultaneously lacking essential nutrients crucial for maintaining strong bones.
This correlation proved particularly pronounced among subjects under the age of 65 and those classified as having a low body weight. The researchers posit that, for these specific demographic groups, a scarcity of necessary nutrients may have a more significant detrimental effect on the integrity of their skeletal structure.
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