Higher dietary carotenoid intake associated with lower risk of hip fracture in middle-aged and elderly Chinese: A matched case-control study

Abstract Background Mechanism studies have suggested that carotenoids may benefit bone health due to their antioxidant properties, but epidemiological data on their effects on risk of hip fracture are sparse. Purpose To explore the relationships between dietary total and specific carotenoids and the risk of hip fracture in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. Design A case-control study of 1070 patients with hip fractures (diagnosed within 2 weeks) aged 55–80 years and 1070 age- (within 3 years) and gender-matched controls was conducted in Guangdong, China between 2009 and 2015. Information on dietary carotenoid intake was assessed using a 79-item food frequency questionnaire administered in face-to-face interviews, and general information was collected using structured questionnaires. The univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression models were applied to analyze the associations. Main results Higher intakes of both total and some specific carotenoids (including β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lutein/zeaxanthin) were significantly associated with a lower risk of hip fracture (all p trends Conclusion These results suggest that the consumption of carotenoids may be protective against hip fracture in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.