Hippy, Hippy Breaks?

The UK Women's Cohort Study contains information on 26,000 women, over a 22 year period. A study of its data, revealed that vegetarian women are a third more likely to break a hip than meat-eating counterparts (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/aug/11/vegetarian-women-fracture-hips-study-bone-health). 90% of hip breakages, especially in the elderly, occur as a result of a fall. Vegetarian diets reduce obesity. The high incidence of hip fractures in woman on vegetarian or vegan diets, could be linked to their having brittle bones and/or lowered muscle mass. Perhaps a vegetarian's lack of a cushion of fat, also makes breakage more likely? Vegetarian diets are, of course, generally healthy options. They lower the risk of becoming diabetic, experiencing coronary heart disease or getting certain cancers. Vegetarian diets are also environmentally friendly, reducing an individual's 'carbon footprint'. Vegetarian women should not fundamentally change their diet. They can, however, improve their bone strength, by eating fortified cereals with added iron and vitamin B12. Vegans and vegetarians can also ensure they get sufficient protein, by consuming nuts; legumes and beans. There is currently no reliable information on the effects of diet on the incidence of hip fractures in men. A similar picture is, however, almost certain.