Dietary influences on bone mass and bone metabolism: further evidence of apositive link between fruit and vegetable consumption and bone health?

Background: The role of nutritional influences on bone health remains large ly undefined because most studies have focused attention on calcium intake. Objective: We reported previously that intakes of nutrients found in abunda nce in fruit and vegetables are positively associated with bone health. We examined this finding further by considering axial and peripheral bone mass and markers of bone metabolism. Design: This was a cross-sectional study of 62 healthy women aged 45-55 y. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and femoral neck and by peripheral quantitative comput ed tomography at the ultradistal radial total, trabecular, and cortical sit es. Bone resorption was calculated by measuring urinary excretion of pyridi noline and deoxypyridinoline and bone formation by measuring serum osteocal cin. Nutrient intakes were assessed by using a validated food-frequency que stionnaire; other lifestyle factors were assessed by additional questions. Results: After present energy intake was controlled far, higher intakes of magnesium, potassium, and alcohol were associated with higher total bone ma ss by Pearson correlation (P < 0.05 to P < 0.005). Femoral neck BMD was hig her in women who had consumed high amounts of fruit in their childhood than in women who had consumed medium or low amounts (P < 0.01). In a regressio n analysis with age, weight, height, menstrual status, and dietary intake e ntered into the model, magnesium intake accounted for 12.3% of the variatio n in pyridinoline excretion and 12% of the variation in deoxypyridinoline e xcretion. Alcohol and potassium intakes accounted for 18.1% of the variatio n in total forearm bone mass. Conclusion: The BMD results confirm our previous work (but at peripheral bo ne mass sites), and our findings associating bone resorption with dietary f actors provide further evidence of a positive link between fruit and vegeta ble consumption and bone health.