New research suggests that people who eat chocolate every day may be more prone to weak bones, placing them at increased risk of fracture.
Scientists studied a group of 1,001 women aged over 70 who had been taking part in a calcium supplementation trial.
The researchers compared their chocolate consumption and bone density at the end of the five-year trial and found that those who ate chocolate every day had less dense bones than those who ate it less than once a week.
Head researcher Dr Jonathan Hodgson told the Daily Mail that cocoa and chocolate are thought to have a beneficial effect on the heart, but that their effects on other organ systems have not previously been studied.
The expert commented: "These findings could have important implications for prevention of osteoporotic fracture."
The majority of fractures in over-50s are due to osteoporosis, which often remains undetected until a person breaks a bone.
New research suggests that people who eat chocolate every day may be more prone to weak bones, placing them at increased risk of fracture.
