In conclusion, our study adds to the evidence that adequate
vitamin D intake is associated with a lower occurrence of osteoporotic
hip fractures in postmenopausal women. A high-calcium
diet appears to be of less importance. Although fortified milk is
one of the few food sources of vitamin D, high consumption does
not appear to substantially reduce the risk of hip fracture, perhaps
because of other nutrients in the milk, such as vitamin A,
that do not support bone health. Because women commonly consume
less than the recommended daily intake of vitamin D and
additional exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of skin cancer,
use of supplements or more frequent consumption of dark
fish may be prudent.