BOSTON—Consuming higher levels of dietary protein may help seniors suffer fewer hip fractures than their peers who have the lowest intake of protein, according to recent research published online ahead of print in Osteporosis International journal. Conducted by scientists from the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, and funded partly by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the trial looked at protein intake in 946 elderly subjects from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. They found seniors in the lowest 25 percent of dietary protein intake had approximately 50-percent more hip fractures than those who higher intakes, a;though all intakes were in the range of what would be considered normal, the researchers noted. However, they reported those who suffered hip fractures took in less than 46 grams of protein per day, the amount recommended for adults. The researchers noted while protein has been thought to impact bone mineral density (BMD), there is also a good chance protein intake helps by building strong muscles in the legs, based ont he theory that improved muscle mass and leg strentgh decrease the likelihood of the falls that typically cause such fractures. The study did not investigate the differences between dietary protein sources.