ORs were generally higher for recurrent fallers than for all fallers .
This meta- analysis provides comprehensive evidence -based assessment of risk factors for falls in older people , confirming their multifactorial etiology .
Some nonspecific indicators of high baseline risk were also strong predictors of the risk of falling
BACKGROUND Falls are the main cause of accidental death in persons aged 65 years or older .
Vitamin D status in relation to one-year risk of recurrent falling in older men and women.
BACKGROUND Falls frequently occur in the elderly and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality . OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to prospect ively investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [ 25(OH)D ] levels and risk of recurrent falling  in older men and women . DESIGN This was a prospect i ve cohort study . SETTING An age- and sex-stratified r and om sample of the Dutch older population was determined . SUBJECTS Subjects included 1231 men and women ( aged 65 yr and older ) participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam . MEASUREMENTS Baseline serum 25(OH)D was determined by a competitive protein binding assay . During 1 yr , falls were prospect ively recorded by means of a fall calendar . RESULTS Low 25(OH)D ( < 10 ng/ml ) was associated with an increased risk of falling . After adjustment for age , sex , education level , region , season , physical activity , smoking , and alcohol intake , the odds ratios ( 95 % confidence interval ) were 1.78 ( 1.06 - 2.99 ) for subjects who experienced two falls or more as compared with those who did not fall or fell once and 2.23 ( 1.17 - 4.25 ) for subjects who fell three or more times as compared with those who fell two times or less . There was a statistically significant effect modification by age , and stratified analyses ( < 75 and > or = 75 yr ) showed that the associations were particularly strong in the younger age group ; the odds ratios ( 95 % confidence interval ) were 5.21 ( 2.03 - 13.40 ) for two falls or more and 4.96 ( 1.52 - 16.23 ) for three falls or more . CONCLUSIONS Poor vitamin D status is independently associated with an increased risk of falling  in the elderly , particularly in those aged 65 - 75 yr
ORs were generally higher for recurrent fallers than for all fallers .
This meta- analysis provides comprehensive evidence -based assessment of risk factors for falls in older people , confirming their multifactorial etiology .
Some nonspecific indicators of high baseline risk were also strong predictors of the risk of falling
BACKGROUND Falls are the main cause of accidental death in persons aged 65 years or older .