Vitamin D Intervention To Prevent Falls and Fractures and To Promote Mental Well-Being.

A Double-Blind Randomised Placebo-Controlled Vitamin D InterventionTrial in which 2,300 women at high risk of fracture are randomised to receive treatment (500,000 IU ergocalciferol orally) or placebo every Autumn/Winter for three to five consecutive years. Participants are asked to complete a diary to record any falls and fractures. This information is collected monthly and confirmed. Participants also complete a validated mental well-being questionnaire at several timepoints throughout the study A subset of 126 women randomly selected undergo more intensive testing throughout the project. At regular intervals these women undergo basic clinical anthropometry, balance and muscle strength assessment; questionnaires to assess mental well-being and pathology testing.