OSTEODIET: Optimal nutrition towards osteoporosis prevention - impact of diet and gene-nutrient interactions on calcium and bone metabolism

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0712-2

Key words (English)

Calcium; osteoporosis; stable Isotopew; CA-41; bone-turnover;
Agriculture; Economic Aspects; Food; Industrial Manufacture; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Safety;
JRC - IRMM

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK1-1999-00752

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.1 Food, nutrition and health

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
ETH Zürich
Institut of Food Science and Nutrition
Human Nutrition Laboratory

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: National University of Ireland, Cork (IRL)

Abstract (English)

TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Overall objective: To investigate the influence of diet, and its interaction with individual genetic variation, on the metabolism of calcium and bone in postmenopausal women in order to reinforce the scientific base for dietary strategies for osteoporosis prevention in Europe.

Specific objectives:
To determine the effect of a high salt (sodium) diet on metabolism of calcium and bone and how it is influenced by the level of dietary calcium.
To investigate the effect of individual genetic variation (vitamin D receptor gene) on the adaptive response of calcium and bone metabolism to a calciuric (high sodium-high protein) diet.
To determine the effect of dietary intake of vitamin K on the metabolism of calcium and bone and how it is influenced by individual genetic variation (apolipoprotein E gene).
To develop and evaluate a novel radio-tracer (41Ca) method for assessing the impact of diet on bone resorption (loss) and calcium metabolism.

EXPECTED RESULTS
New scientific information on the influence of (i) diet (salt, calcium, protein, vitamin K) and (ii) individual genetic variation on bone integrity and on mechanisms of development of osteoporosis.
Reinforced scientific base for the development of nutrition strategies, policies and guidelines, Community action programmes and new food products for osteoporosis prevention in Europe.
Novel radiotracer method for measurement of bone loss and calcium metabolism in intervention studies in humans.

APPLICATIONS
The above outcomes will be widely disseminated to users, including the research community, EC and national policy makers, national health authorities, healthcare agencies, osteoporosis societies, consumer organisations, and industry.

The project will also contribute to:
the evolution of EU policy on public health, including women's health, and ageing.
the attainment of EU social objectives e.g. improvement of the health and quality of life for consumers.
the scientific base for improving the quality (particularly the nutritional quality) of food products in response to consumer demands.
will also provide excellent opportunities for the training of European postgraduates and post-doctoral scientists to achieve a high level of expertise in the area of food and health.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0712-2