A recent report suggests that loneliness, depression, and other emotional complaints are associated with an increased risk of hip fracture in older women. Researchers at the National Institute of Public Health in Oslo, Norway, interviewed more than 18,000 Norwegian women over the age of 50 to collect data on self-reported levels of emotional status and then followed the women for three years. It was found that women with the highest levels of mental distress were at twice the risk of hip fracture during the three-year follow-up period, compared to women with the lowest distress levels. Authors note that the findings held even when age and medication use were taken into consideration and suggest that loneliness and depression, along with other distress factors, may increase the risk of fracture by promoting unhealthy behaviors and increasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has been linked previous to bone loss and increased fracture risk.
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