Dairy, fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk of disability

Denise Houston and colleagues from the University of North Carolina, US, found that a high consumption of dairy products, fruits and vegetables is likely to lower the risk of functional limitations and disability in the elderly. Previous studies have suggested that calcium, vitamin D and antioxidants may influence the ease with which people perform everyday tasks such as walking, climbing steps and managing money, due to their role in muscle function, osteoporosis and oxidative damage prevention, associated with aging and chronic disease. Since dairy products, fruits and vegetables contain these nutrients the Carolina team investigated whether there was a link between the intake of these foods and functional limitations and disability. The team found that in general, dairy, fruit and vegetable intakes appeared to be inversely associated with impaired lower extremity function, ADLs and IADLs. However, these associations were not consistent among the sub groups in the study. The authors recommend the daily consumption of 2 - 3 servings of low fat dairy products, 2 - 4 servings of fruit, and 3 - 5 servings of vegetables to reduce the prevalence of functional limitations and disability in the elderly. -the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 81 (2), 2005