Postmenopausal women who eat a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods may have less risk for bone fractures as they age than women who eat foods that are more inflammatory, according to a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Foods known to be anti-inflammatory include fish, vegetables, whole grains and olive oil.

The investigation examined data from the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trial and Observational Study of postmenopausal women. Those who reported eating the least inflammatory diet lost less bone density throughout the six years of follow-up compared with women who ate the most inflammatory diet. And Caucasian women who were younger than age 63 and were following an anti-inflammatory diet had less risk for hip fracture.

“This is just one more example that eating a healthy diet can have a positive effect on your health as you age,” says David Falco, M.D., internal medicine physician with Jersey Shore University Medical Center. “Following the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is a good place to start.”

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