Eating Dried Plums Helps Prevent Fractures and Osteoporosis, Study Suggests
A Florida State University researcher has found a simple, proactive solution to help prevent fractures and osteoporosis: eating dried plums. As per the finding of the study eating dried plums helps to prevent fractures and osteoporosis, when it comes to improving bone health in postmenopausal women -- and people of all ages, actually.
All fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on nutrition, but in terms of bone health, this particular food is exceptional."
Arjmandi and a group of researchers from Florida State and Oklahoma State University tested two groups of postmenopausal women. Over a 12-month period, the first group, consisting of 55 women, was instructed to consume 100 grams of dried plums (about 10 prunes) each day, while the second -- a comparative control group of 45 women -- was told to consume 100 grams of dried apples. All of the study''s participants also received daily doses of calcium (500 milligrams) and vitamin D (400 international units).
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The group that consumed dried plums had significantly higher bone mineral density in the ulna (one of two long bones in the forearm) and spine, in comparison with the group that ate dried apples. This, according to Arjmandi, was due in part to the ability of dried plums to suppress the rate of bone resorption, or the breakdown of bone, which tends to exceed the rate of new bone growth as people age.
As per estimation, osteoporosis affect 200 milion women world wide, even men are not behind, about 2 million American men also have osteoporosis.
"In the first five to seven postmenopausal years, women are at risk of losing bone at a rate of 3 to 5 percent per year," Arjmandi said. "However, osteoporosis is not exclusive to women and, indeed, around the age of 65, men start losing bone with the same rapidity as women."
Arjmandi encourages people who are interested in maintaining or improving their bone health to take note of the extraordinarily positive effect that dried plums have on bone density.
"Don''t wait until you get a fracture or you are diagnosed with osteoporosis and have to have prescribed medicine," Arjmandi said. "Do something meaningful and practical beforehand. People could start eating two to three dried plums per day and increase gradually to perhaps six to 10 per day. Prunes can be eaten in all forms and can be included in a variety of recipes.
More facts about Osteoporosis:
Worldwide, an osteoporotic fracture is estimated to occur every 3 seconds, a vertebral fracture every 22 seconds.
Osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide - approximately one-tenth of women aged 60, one-fifth of women aged 70, two-fifths of women aged 80 and two-thirds of women aged 90.
Osteoporosis affects an estimated 75 million people in Europe, USA and Japan.
1 in 3 women over 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, as will 1 in 5 men
Osteoporosis in Men:
About 20-25% of hip fractures occur in men. The overall mortality is about 20% in the first 12 months after hip fracture and is higher in men than women.
It is estimated that the lifetime risk of experiencing an osteoporotic fracture in men over the age of 50 is 30%, similar to the lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer.
Vertebral fractures may cause equal morbidity in men and women. Hip fractures in men cause significant morbidity and loss of normal functioning.
Although the overall prevalence of fragility fractures is higher in women, men generally have higher rates of fracture related mortality
Ref:
http://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-and-statistics.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818093048.htm
Website: http://www.setuhealthcare.com
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