IRELAND: Low Vitamin D Levels Up Fall Risk in Elderly

DUBLIN (IrishHealth), August 24, 2006: Older men and women may be at an increased risk of experiencing falls if they have inadequate vitamin D levels, the results of a new study indicate. Around one in three people over the age of 65 fall at least once a year. This increases to one in two people over the age of 80. A team of researchers set out to investigate the link between vitamin D levels and the risk of recurrent falling in older men and women. Vitamin D plays an important role in bone health. While it can be obtained from certain foods such as fortified milk and some fish, it is actually produced by the body when exposed to sunlight. The study involved 1,231 men and women aged 65 and older. They were monitored for one year, during which time details of any falls were recorded. During this period, one in three of the participants fell at least once, while just over one in 10 fell two or more times. The researchers found that low vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of falling. In fact, those with low vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to fall at least twice, compared to those with adequate levels. Other risk factors, such as age, physical activity and alcohol intake, were taken into account however they did not explain the link. "Poor vitamin D status is independently associated with an increased risk of falling in the elderly, particularly in those aged 65-75 years", the researchers concluded. Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved.