Vitamin D-Rich Diet may Help Reduce Risk of Stress Fractures in Teen Girls

Teenage girls who participate in active sport may avoid stress fractures by following a diet rich in vitamin D according to a new study conducted by researchers from Children's Hospital Boston.

The dietary habits of more than 6,700 girls aged between 9 and 15 years were recorded by the researchers who looked into the amount of calcium and vitamin D that the girls were eating every day. The researchers then compared the data with the number of stress fractures caused due to sports activities.

At the end of seven years, the researchers found that around 4 percent of the participants suffered from stress fractures. On comparing them with the dietary habits the researchers found that following a calcium rich diet or eating dairy products had no bearing on the amount of stress fractures but those who followed a vitamin D rich diet were 50 percent less likely to suffer from stress fractures.

"This study can add to the existing thought that adolescent girls and young women should be particularly cognizant of getting their vitamin D", Kendrin Sonneville, from Children's Hospital Boston, said. The study has been published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Source: Medindia