Researchers analyzed the daily protein intake of 946 seniors for the results, which are published in the journal Osteoporosis International.

They found that individuals who were in the lowest 25 percent of dietary protein intake had approximately 50 percent more hip fractures than those who consumed greater amounts of dietary protein. Those who suffered hip fractures consumed less than the 46 grams of dietary protein per day recommended for adults.

The study’s lead author Marian Hannan, D.Sc., recommends that older women consume at least 46 grams of protein per day, and that older men consume at least 56 grams of protein daily.

This can come from both animal sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt, as well as plant-based protein sources such as legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables.

In addition, regular exercise can help build stronger muscles and improve balance to minimize the risk of falling.

More than 95 percent of hip fractures in people over the age of 65 are caused by falls and can lead to severe health problems, including decreased quality of life and premature death.

Researchers had a group of 21 men eat two different test breakfasts with identical calories on different days. One was a high-protein meal that consisted of three scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast, the other was carbohydrate-based and consisted of a bagel with cream cheese and yogurt.

They found that when the men ate eggs for breakfast they ate less at lunch and throughout the following 24 hours. In addition, they found when men ate a bagel for breakfast, blood tests showed that ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger when elevated, was significantly higher.

"There is a growing body of evidence that supports the importance of high-quality protein in the diet for overall health and in particular the importance of protein at the breakfast meal," said study author Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez. "We examined two typical American breakfasts, and the participants’ self-reported appetite ratings reveal that a protein-rich breakfast helps keep hunger at bay.

Registered dietician Helenbeth Reynolds added that eating the entire egg is important. "For only 70 calories, eggs are a compact, nutrient-rich source of high-quality protein, and nearly half of an egg’s protein, along with many other nutrients, is found in the yolk, so I always encourage eating the whole egg."

A researcher at Kansas State University (KSU) says that athletes in sports like mixed martial arts, wrestling and boxing should consider eating a high-protein diet rather than unhealthy extremes like starvation diets and sauna suits in order to get their weight down for competition.

KSU human nutrition doctoral student Jen Case studied active Fort Riley soldiers and Air Force cadets who were training in combatives, a sport that combines submission wrestling with elements of kickboxing and mixed martial arts.

Case prescribed them a high-protein diet suited to their desired weight class and told them to eat often.

In addition to weight management, Case says the athletes who ate diets high in protein showed improved performance on tests of running and explosive leg power. She also found that the diet didn’t negatively affect performance as did other weight loss measures like starvation diets. Moreover, eating more protein helped the athletes increase lean mass rather than losing it.

She also says that her research may be helpful for people who are already active and healthy but want to lose weight.

The study consisted of 42 athletes from different sports including biathlon, cycling, long-distance running, swimming, judo, skating and volleyball. Participants kept a food journal for three days and were asked about their use of supplements.

Nine out of 10 reported that they regularly take supplements including energy drinks, multi-vitamins, minerals and powdered protein supplements. However, researcher Martin Frechette said their knowledge of supplements was weak, especially when it came to protein.

"Only one out of four consumers could associate a valid reason, backed by scientific literature, for taking the product," he said.

Despite the widespread use of protein supplements, 70 percent of athletes in the study didn’t feel their performance would suffer if they stopped such consumption.

"No less than 81 percent of athletes taking supplements already had sufficient protein from their diet," Frechette added.

Experts say that athletes’ nutrition plans should be individualized to meet the needs of training and competition. And while protein is important for muscle function, carbohydrates remain the primary fuel for intense muscular efforts.

Researchers at the Institute for Healthy Ageing at University College London looked at the effects of different diets on female fruit flies.
The flies were fed a steady diet of yeast, sugar and water with varying amounts of other nutrients like vitamins, lipids and amino acids.

The study’s results, published in the journal Nature, found that varying amounts of amino acids – which form the basis of proteins – were linked to both increased lifespan and fertility. Altering other nutrients did not affect either significantly, according to researchers.

They say their findings prove that it is possible to extend a person’s lifespan by balancing protein intake without cutting overall calories. "It’s not as simple as saying ‘eat less nuts’ or ‘eat more nuts’ to live longer – it’s about getting the protein balance right, a factor that might be particularly important for high protein diets, such as the Atkins diet or body builders’ protein supplements," said study author Dr Matthew Piper.

Protein is available in nutritional supplement form as well as in foods like meats, soy and dairy products. However, researchers involved in the study say the amino acid methionine is the most advantageous when selecting protein sources. Foods high in methionine include sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, fish and meats.

New research has emerged from the UK suggesting vegetarians had a lower overall cancer rate when compared to meat eaters, Medical News Today reports.

Tim Key, lead author of the study, told the news provider few studies examined cancer rates among vegetarians.

A total of 63,550 men and women, aged 20 to 89, participated in the study throughout the UK during the 1990s. The researchers got the cancer incident figures from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Oxford.

When compared to meat eaters, and adjusting for age, sex and smoking status, the study found vegetarians had an 11 percent lower incidence rate of all cancers, according to the article.

Key told the BBC the findings were interesting and suggested there "might be some reduction in cancers in vegetarians and fish-eaters and we need to look carefully at that."

People currently on a vegetarian diet may want to increase their protein intake through soy products or nutritional supplements to maintain optimal health. Also, those who are interested in losing weight may want to look into diets high in protein.

New research her emerged suggesting a diet that is moderately high in protein may assist people with numerous general health goals such as losing weight and reducing the risk of diabetes.

Donald Layman, a University of Illinois professor emeritus of nutrition, studied the weight-loss efforts of 130 participants to learn more about long-term effects.

Half the group followed a moderate-protein diet consisting of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. The other adhered to a diet based on the USDA’s food-guide pyramid of 55 percent carbohydrates, 15 percent protein and 15 percent fat.

After four months, the protein group lost 22 percent more body fat than the food-pyramid group. At 12 months, the percentage increased to 38.

Layman also stated the moderate-protein diet was easier for participants to adhere to, which he said was important to gain the full effects of the diet.

"Subjects on the moderate-protein diet reported that they weren’t as interested in snacks or desserts, and they didn’t have food cravings. When you eat protein, you feel full longer," Layman said.

Nancy Clark, a member of the American Dietetic Association, said recent studies have shown incorporating protein to carbohydrates after the gym can create better muscle refueling and building response, USA Today reports. Protein can also help prevent the breakdown of muscle by reducing the amount of cortisol in one’s body.

This technique can also be beneficial for people looking to lose weight and not necessarily build a lot of muscle.

"For them, eating something after exercise can nip the appetite in the bud, before the cookie monster visits. A protein-carb combo can be more satiating than carbs alone," Clark told the news provider.

In a 1966 study, it was shown athletes replaced muscle glycogen quicker by consuming carbohydrates when compared to foods high in protein, according to the article. However, in "fine-tuning the science of recovery," Clark said recent studies have looked into using a combination of carbs and protein to see if it would speed up muscle recovering without sacrificing glycogen refueling.

Some people who do not eat meat may want to turn to nutritional supplements to increase their protein intake.

Ian Brandt, Utah resident, has been a vegetarian since he was 21 years old and said now his children have followed in his footsteps, KSL.com reports. He said his children have a diet of whole food nutrition, but that he avoids depending on soy as the only source of protein.

"I just believe that eating whole foods is the foundation of health instead of processed foods. It’s very dangerous how a lot of vegetarians still seek out processed foods," Brandt told the news provider.

While a vegetarian diet may produce images of a person in good health, dietitians say it’s still possible for a person who chooses not to eat meat to rely too heavily on processed foods.

Registered dietitian Pauline Williams said this can be especially dangerous for children and suggests parents be sure certain vitamins are incorporated in their diet, according to the article.

"If you’re going to take out animal products from the diet, you want to look for products that have those B vitamins added to them," Williams told KSL.com.