Protein & Bone Health

Why is protein important?

Protein provides the building blocks your body needs to maintain and repair muscle and support healthy bones.
Strong muscles help stabilise joints, support mobility, and reduce the risk of falls. Adequate protein also supports
collagen, bone mass and structure, enhances calcium absorption and helps reduce frailty.

Insufficient protein in your diet can lead to muscle loss and weakness that may impair mobility and impact everyday
activities. This can lead to more severe muscle impairment called sarcopenia.

Protein and food

Eating a protein-rich diet is the best way to achieve recommended protein intake. Protein content in food varies, so it is important to consume ‘protein-rich’ foods. Adding calcium to your diet is easy by focusing on food groups with higher calcium levels.

Food type	Examples	Serving size	Protein (gram per serve)
Meat	Lean beef, lean lamb, lean pork, chicken breast	100g cooked	26-34g
Seafood	Cooked fish Canned tuna/salmon Prawns	100g cooked 1 small tin 100g cooked	23-35g 18-21g 27g
Dairy	Yogurt (natural) Hard cheese (cheddar) Milk (cow, soy) Cottage cheese Ricotta cheese	1 cup/250mL 2 slices/40g 1 cup/250mL 4 tbsp/60g 4 tbsp/60g	13g 10g 8-10g 10g 6g
Other	Eggs Tofu Peanut butter Tahini (sesame seed paste) Green peas (boiled)	2 eggs/100g 150g 2 tablespoons/30g 2 tablespoons/30g 1 cup/160g	14g 13g 8g 8g 8g
Legumes	Canned chickpeas, brown lentils, red kidney beans, edamame beans, baked beans	1/2 cup/120g	6-10g
Cereal/Grains	Breakfast cereal A serve of falafel	100g 3-5 balls	7g 5g
Nuts and Seeds	Almonds, peanuts, walnuts , pumpkin seeds	2 tbsp/30g	4-9g

Protein and Older Adults (>65 years)

Protein needs in older adults increase compared to middle aged and younger adults. Older adults can benefit from
higher protein intake to help maintain muscle mass, strength and physical function. With ageing:

• Muscle mass and strength naturally declines
• The body becomes less efficient at using dietary protein
• Appetite may decrease which can lead to low dietary protein intake
• The risk of falls and fractures increase.

Recommended Protein Intake

Protein needs vary based on age, with the recommended intake increasing for older adults (over 65 years) and for
those at-risk or with sarcopenia. Current advice for this group is to consume 1.0-1.5 g of protein per kilogram of
bodyweight per day.3 For example:

• If you weigh 55kg, you will need 55-83g of protein per day
• If you weigh 65kg, you will need 65-98g of protein per day
• If you weigh 75kg, you will need 75-113g of protein per day
• If you weigh 85kg, you will need 85-128g of protein per day

What is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is a disease characterised by low muscle mass and strength which can affect walking, balance and everyday
activities such as standing from a chair, leading to a loss of independence and reduced quality of life. An Australian
study of institutionalised older adults found that improved protein intake reduced falls and fractures.

Protein supplements

Protein supplements (such as powders or ready-to-drink products) can assist older adults to achieve
adequate protein intake, especially in those who:

• have reduced appetite
• struggle to meet protein needs from their diet
• are recovering from illness or hospitalisation
• are found to have poor muscle health
• have diagnosed sarcopenia

Supplements should be considered with guidance from a health professional.

Exercise combined with Protein

Exercise should be combined with adequate protein to optimise muscle mass, strength and physical function.
For people living with sarcopenia or at-risk of falls exercise programs should be developed by qualified health
professionals – physiotherapist or exercise physiologist – and be supervised. Exercises should include a combination
of resistance training, challenging balance exercises and ‘functional’ movements (that mimic activities of daily living
such as standing from a chair, climbing stairs, or carrying groceries).