Diet is an important contributor to bone health. A 2019 meta-analysis of observational studies found that Western dietary patterns, including high consumption of red and processed meats, refined grains, fried foods, and sweets, were associated with an increased risk of low BMD and fractures.[1] Alternatively, healthy dietary patterns like a Mediterranean diet and those containing more dairy products have been associated with a reduced risk of low BMD and fractures.[1][2] These healthy dietary patterns provide important nutrients for bone health, including calcium, potassium, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin C.[1][3]
Healthy dietary patterns, including adequate calcium intake in adolescence and throughout the lifespan, are important for attaining adequate peak bone mass between ages 20 and 30, and for minimizing age-related reductions in BMD afterward.[3]