J Endocr Soc

Late dinners, skipped breakfasts associated with higher fracture rates

September 11, 2025

Study details: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 927,130 Japanese adults aged ≥20 years using health checkup questionnaires and the DeSC claims database. Researchers assessed the association between lifestyle habits—including smoking, alcohol use, exercise, sleep, and dietary timing—and the risk of osteoporotic fractures (hip, distal forearm, vertebral, humeral). A Cox proportional-hazards model adjusted for conventional risk factors.

Results: Over a median follow-up of 2.6 years, skipping breakfast (hazard ratio [HR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12–1.23) and having late dinners (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04–1.12) were independently associated with increased fracture risk. Smoking also elevated risk (HR, 1.11), while fast gait speed (HR, 0.84), adequate sleep (HR, 0.95), and daily alcohol consumption (HR, 0.91) were protective.

Clinical impact: This study is the first to identify irregular meal timing as an independent risk factor for osteoporotic fractures. Clinicians may consider incorporating dietary timing into patient education and fracture prevention strategies.

Source:

Nakajima H, et al. (2025, August 28). J Endocr Soc. Dietary Habits and Osteoporotic Fracture Risk: Retrospective Cohort Study Using Large-Scale Claims Data. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40893950/