The NU-AGE (New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe) trial, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of a Mediterranean-style diet combined with vitamin D3 supplementation on bone health. In this study, conducted in five European countries, participants were randomized to either follow a Mediterranean-style diet or maintain their current diet for a one-year period. Participants assigned to the Mediterranean-style diet were provided with commercially available food products, vitamin D3 supplements, and diet counseling from a dietitian. At the beginning and end of the trial, participants were asked to complete a food diary which was analyzed to measure adherence to the Mediterranean-style diet. It was noted that those following the Mediterranean-style diet had a significantly increased intake of olive oil, calcium, and low-fat dairy products. The researchers measured baseline and one-year blood work, urine samples, and bone scans. The combined Mediterranean-style diet with vitamin D3 supplementation resulted in significantly lower rate of bone loss in participants with osteoporosis but did not have an impact on bone health in older adults without osteoporosis.
