CONCLUSIONS Dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture , and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures .
OBJECTIVE To examine the evidence underpinning recommendations to increase calcium intake through dietary sources or calcium supplements to prevent fractures .
Risk factors for incident vertebral fractures in men and women: the Rotterdam Study.
UNLABELLED Low BMD and prevalent vertebral fractures are known risk factors for incident vertebral fractures . In 3001 men and women from the Rotterdam Study , prevalent nonvertebral fractures , early menopause , current smoking , and walking aid use were also strong risk factors for incident vertebral fractures . INTRODUCTION Thus far , age , low BMD , and prevalent vertebral fractures are the only well-known risk factors for incident vertebral fractures . Therefore , our aim was to investigate other potential risk factors for incident vertebral fractures in the elderly . MATERIAL S AND METHODS This study was based on the Rotterdam Study , a large prospect i ve population -based cohort study among men and women > or = 55 years of age . For 3001 subjects , spinal radiographs were obtained at baseline and again approximately 6.3 years later . These follow-up radiographs were scored for vertebral fractures using the McCloskey-Kanis method . Whenever a vertebral fracture was detected , the radiograph was compared with the baseline radiograph . If this fracture was not already present at baseline , it was considered incident . At baseline , information on potential risk factors was obtained . RESULTS Low BMD and prevalent vertebral fractures were strong risk factors for incident vertebral fractures in both men and women ( RR 2.3 [ 1.6 - 3.3 ] and 2.2 [ 0.9 - 5.0 ] for men and RR 2.1 [ 1.6 - 2.6 ] and 4.1 [ 2.5 - 6.7 ] for women , respectively ) . For women , age , early menopause ( < or = 45 years of age ; RR 1.0 [ 1.1 - 3.5 ] ) , current smoking ( 2.1 [ 1.2 - 3.5 ] ) , and walking aid use ( 2.5 [ 1.1 - 5.5 ] ) were additional independent risk factors . For men , only a history of nonvertebral fractures was a significant independent risk factor ( OR 2.4 [ 1.2 - 4.8 ] ) . CONCLUSION Apart from low BMD and prevalent vertebral fractures , prevalent nonvertebral fractures are associated with an increased incident vertebral fracture risk in men . In women , early menopause , current smoking , and walking aid use are additional independent risk factors for incident vertebral fractures
CONCLUSIONS Dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture , and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures .
OBJECTIVE To examine the evidence underpinning recommendations to increase calcium intake through dietary sources or calcium supplements to prevent fractures .