The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) has released its latest “Mind the Gap” resource, detailing the link between vitamin D and risk reduction for falls among older adults.
 
Mind the Gap resources are designed to share positive stories about the benefits that nutrition offers to consumers and society at large. It also seeks to fill gaps in scientific knowledge, while promoting real-life examples of successful national nutrition programs.
 
The latest resource explains that falling is a risk factor for bone fractures among men and women aged 60 years and older. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 37.3 million falls every year—more than 100,000 a day—that are serious enough to require attention.
 
“The message of our latest Mind the Gap resource is simple: increasing vitamin D intake is a way to help older adults keep their bones strong and reduce the risk of suffering a fall,” said Simon Pettman, executive director of IADSA. “With many people becoming less active as a result of lockdowns and self-isolation, the central message of this new story is more important now than ever.”
 
Multiple factors can increase the risk of fall, including a lack of vitamin D. Scientists believe vitamin D improves muscle function, strength and body balance, which helps to reduce the risk of falling.
 
WHO and the U.S. National Institute on Aging both suggest that a lack of vitamin D could increase the risk of suffering a fracture as a result of a fall. The European Commission, meanwhile, has approved a health claim for vitamin D and a reduced risk of falling.
 
Based in London, IADSA is the international association of the food supplement sector, with members from six continents. IADSA is the global platform to guide the evolution of policy and regulation in the sector.